Making Books

My girls love making books. I bought two big boxes filled with several reams of paper a couple years ago and once they discovered the joy of paper, that paper has flown off the shelf. I have 1/2 ream left, hidden I might add until I buy some more, and every day they beg for paper. My youngest daughter gets this smile on her face, and tilts her head to the side slightly. I know exactly the question she's going to ask. "Mom, can I please have a piece of paper, just 1." I say, just 1. Not 2. Just 1. "Okay mom." Inevitably, as soon as that one's used up, she comes back to ask again. And I'm a sucker I tell ya. A sucker for creativity. 

Last year I started making the kids simple books. I would sew down the middle of sheets of white paper with a piece of construction paper as the cover. I made all sorts of sizes, because I knew size options would be a hit with my kids. I made teeny ones and bigger ones, I made several to give away to their friends too. They ran out of those books and discovered they could make them themselves. Almost every day. 

They cut out paper to the size they want and staple away. I think it's pretty cute to watch my youngest daughter (4) cut the paper into book pages. She's getting good at it and in the beginning I loved seeing all of the rickety edges and not quite the same size sheets for her story...uneven pages. But now they are pretty darn precise.  

 And the stapler. Oh that darn stapler. Mommy has to run to the rescue often to help with the stapler. My boy likes to fold paper into little tiny hunks and staple the heck out of it. The stapler ends up jammed a lot because of it. Oh well, staple away little boy. He's not into art as much as his sisters, so I'll take hunks of papers filled with staples and be proud!

And oh the messes they create. They get scissors in their hands (especially my youngest daughter) and they like to cut the piece of paper into teeny tiny little pieces. I have no idea what she is trying to create with them. Sometimes she'll even draw teeny circles and other shapes and practice cutting them out. It's amazing to watch her concentration, but oh the mess. Again...sucker for creativity.

 My oldest really gets into drawing out her stories. She does this everyday and if her teachers would let her, she'd likely do it all day at school. But I'd rather her not make books about Batman all day at school, thank you very much.

I listened intently as she read me her whole story and pointed to all of the intricate pictures. But this was a few days ago and now I don't remember any of it. Bummer. Sorry little sweetie. You have such a great memory though, I bet you'll remember in 15 years what it was that you drew.

And this part was a riveting spot in her story, clearly by the fist in the air.  I'm sure some good guy saved the day.