By Kelsey Nickerson When kids aren’t together, sending hand-written notes is a great way to stay connected, not to mention lots of fun for both sender and receiver. Writing good, old-fashioned letters is also the perfect literacy activity for children—the kind they don’t even notice is educational. And this DIY book craft to make cute origami envelopes will motivate little and not-so-little penpals alike. With just a few cuts and folds, this book page craft is relatively easy to . . .
DIY Book Craft: Pencil Pinwheels
By Kelsey Nickerson With just a little help, kids can craft these handmade book page pinwheels. This is a fun activity in its own right, plus they’ll get a new toy to boot! You can make them to keep or to gift—this is a great present for older children to make for younger siblings or friends. Like many of our DIY book crafts, you can really make this project your own. Keep your pinwheel simple or have some fun coloring and decorating it! Younger kids may enjoy adding stickers and glitter . . .
DIY Book Craft: Book Page Paper Fan
By Kelsey Nickerson Cooling down on a hot summer day has never been cuter! Kids will love this fun summer book craft to create their own personal fans. Made out of upcycled book pages, these sweet paper fans are easy to make and fun to use. You can keep them simple or get as detailed as you want in coloring and decorating them. Get creative with stickers, glitter, or whatever else you have on hand. You could even glue feathers along the top of your fan! Once your fans are finished, you can . . .
DIY BOOK CRAFT: BOOK PAGE BANNER
By Kelsey Nickerson Looking for a creative way to decorate (or something to do with that falling-apart paperback)? From back-to-school to book club to birthday celebrations, you can customize this adorable DIY book page banner for any holiday or theme. It’s easy to make, yet creates a cute and polished end product. Kids can dive right into this DIY book craft. Have them spell out their name on the banner and hang it above their bookshelf or bed. Or let them make one to celebrate a . . .
DIY BOOK CRAFT: FRUIT SLICE CORNER BOOKMARKS
By Kelsey Nickerson Whether you’re hitting the beach with a vacation paperback or encouraging your kids through their summer reading lists, a bookmark is a must. Having a page-marker handy helps keep kids (or you!) from folding over the corners of those library and school books—or creasing up your home-library favorites. And these slide-on DIY corner bookmarks don’t get knocked out when you toss your book into a tote, the way traditional bookmarks can. Make these cute pocket bookmarks with . . .
DIY Book Craft: Elegant Book Page Flowers
By Kelsey Nickerson These literary blossoms are a fun craft to freshen your table or decorate for a special event. Display them in a natural wood bowl or scatter them along a surface for a sophisticated, minimalist effect. String them together along a streamer and hang them for a festive look. Or attach them to a small wooden dowel and put them in a vase—they can stand alone or add a cute touch to a bouquet of cut flowers. You could even get really creative and use them to top drink stirrers . . .
Seven Ways to Support Your Favorite Bookstore Online
By Karen Williams Showing support for independent bookstores is a noble cause, and a common way to do so is to simply visit the bookstore itself. But you can show support from home, too. Whether your goal is to avoid the crowds or get to know a bookstore outside your region, there are several ways you can support your favorite bookstore virtually. Buy books from online storefronts. Now more than ever, your favorite independent bookstores need your business. Many bookstores have the . . .
DIY Book Craft: No-sew Book Cover
By Kelsey Nickerson These DIY fabric book covers are a pretty and crafty way to protect your library. Safeguard books while traveling, replace lost dust covers, or preserve well-loved titles from eager (and grubby) little hands. We especially like these covers for keeping kids’ favorites in good enough shape for them to read to their own children someday. Plus, they add a fun pop of pattern and color to your bookshelf. This book craft is easy, inexpensive and doesn’t take long. Have . . .
Three Sure-Fire Ways to Get Kids to Read More
Many parents, especially bookish ones, long for their children to fall in love with reading. They read to their kids religiously, awaiting the day when their children take pleasure in selecting and reading books on their own. They hope that curling up in the company of a great book will beat out apps, games, and screen time on their kids’ list of preferred activities. But, alas, kids often show greater interest in other things. I know that my own daughter’s reading interest and . . .
DIY Book Craft: Chunky Tassel Bookmark
By Kelsey Nickerson These might be my new favorite DIY craft bookmarks! The chunky tassels are so fun and make it super easy to find your spot in a book, even for little hands. They’re also eye-catching and hard to misplace … hopefully encouraging young readers to use them instead of folding down the page corner! (We can always dream.) This is an excellent book craft to do with kids. Let them draw or paint their own design to personalize their bookmark, or help them copy out a quote from a . . .