Book Binding... or why I think I should get to go to bed now

It all started late this summer when I was planning school. At the library, I happened across the book, Handmade Book for Everyday Adventures by Erin Zamrzla. I have always been interested in making books, but it actually trying it just had never happened. Well, I opened the book and I was hooked. Hooked to the extent that I actually bought myself my own copy. There are all sorts of ideas for all sorts of different books and instructions for sewing them all together. Then, as I was planning thMap Art Lab:e last bit of our school year about maps, I came across Map Art Lab by Jill K. Berry and Linden McNeilly. What could be better than a book that combined maps and art projects? I bought that one as well.

Those books were percolating in the back of my head as I was planning our unit of Marco Polo and the Silk Road. And it all came together. I'm always looking for creative ways to document what we've learned. So, in the art book I had read about line maps (a sort of linear illustrated map) and in the bookmaking book, there was a long journal shown. What if we were to make our own books, a very long book, where we would do line maps of Marco Polo's travels? So I wrote it on the schedule and bought some supplies, with stern instructions to myself to figure out how to actually make a book over Christmas break.

To aid in this, I thought that buying a kit that could walk me through it would be a good idea, so that is what I did. School was barreling towards me, so a couple of weeks ago I sat down and made the book. I have to say I am completely and totally hooked. Here is the book I made with the kit:



It looks just like a real book! I was so excited that the next day I sat down to see if I could design the long style book I was hoping to use with the children. Here are the results:

front

back
So now, how was I to do this x6, with some very little people participating? I decided that I would need to do quite a bit of prep work ahead of time. I cut pages and sewed them together...


And did all the measuring and cutting of all the different pieces. (Thanks to M., who agreed to cut all my book board. I discovered that is one part of the process I really do not enjoy.) On Tuesday, each child received a blank front and back cover page to decorate while I read and today was the day that I decided we would construct the books. It was going to be our entire school day because I realized that the only way it would work is if I helped one person at a time. The only change to that plan was that TM and D. felt capable of doing it all themselves, with me helping just a little big, while I helped the littler people.

There is a lot of gluing in book binding.

G., and the only picture of the during process... it was almost more than I could do just to help each child.

We finished about 2:45 today. I'm pooped. That took a lot of energy and patience, but everyone was thrilled to have made an actual book. Here is how they turned out. (If I had been willing to spring for better paper for the covers, they would look a bit more professional, but decided that if I was overly worried about supplies then it would take an even greater toll on my patience.)

K.

TM

L.

D.

H.

G. (See the donkeys?)

They look like real books, huh?



Comments

Kristin Mueller said…
Amazing! The books are beautiful!

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