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 store them in a vase on a porch or patio, ready for those hot days and nights. In the meantime, they’ll make a crafty and summery centerpiece. Or take them along to keep kids (or yourself!) comfortable on outings—just compress the accordion folds and secure them lightly with a rubber band or string to keep them from getting crumpled. However you choose to use them, these book page fans are a literary way to keep your cool.
Materials:
- Old book pages (six pages per fan)
- Decorative paper punches
- Tape
- Ribbon
Optional:
- Colored pencils, markers, or even watercolors
- Other items for decorating: stickers, glitter, feathers, or anything you have on hand
- Glue
Cost: If you have these basic supplies already on hand, this craft could cost you nothing! If you need to get a decorative paper punch, you should be able to pick one up for a few dollars. It’s worth having a few on hand for future crafting. (On the other hand, you could skip the punch and just get fancy with some other crafty touches.) We can usually find a bit of ribbon around the house, but if you can’t, you can always get creative by twisting a bit of tissue wrapping paper or using several strands of colorful yarn twisted together.
Step 1: To start off, take six old book pages. Trim the side that you tore out of the book for a neater edge if need be. If you want to color the fan or decorate it with glitter or small stickers, go ahead and do that now, but leave any larger details like feathers to add after folding your fan. You only need to color or decorate one side of each page. Tip: Don’t put anything on that will make it too hard to fold the paper (e.g., no rigid stickers), and beware of tearing the thin paper of your book pages when coloring or painting them.
Step 2: Because book pages are usually made of pretty thin paper, we’ll make the fans a little sturdier by doubling up the paper. So, take two pages together (if you decorated the pages, have the decorated sides face out) and use your hold punch to cut a row of shapes along the top of the book pages. Repeat for the rest of the pages (three sets total of two pages each).
Step 3: Keeping the pair of pages together, you are now going to accordion-fold across the page horizontally. Once you’re done with this step, you will have three sets of accordion-folded double sheets.
Step 4: Now you are just going to attach these three sets together to make one larger fan. With a few small pieces of tape, attach the outermost folds together.
Step 5: Lastly, gather the fan together at the bottom edge (the one without the shapes) and tape around all the folds. Then tie a decorative ribbon to cover the tape. If you’re planning to add larger adornments such as feathers, go ahead and glue them on now.
This fun and quick project is not only a crafty way to cool down on hot days, it’s also a great activity to keep kids busy (and cool!) during summer vacation. These adorable fans can even make cute favors for a summertime party. Let us know how you use yours!
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 just some squares of paper and a little origami. Then decorate them however you like. This book craft is great for kids and all ages. Follow along the simple steps below and you’ll have a bookmark that fits right over the corner of your page in no time! Once you or your crafters get the folding down, you can churn out as many designs as you like. Fruit salad, anyone?
Materials:
- Craft paper
- Scissors
- Craft glue
- Pencil
- Colored pencils or markers
Cost: This craft should not cost you anything, provided you’ve got a few basic supplies on hand.
Step One: First you need to cut out squares to make your bookmarks. You will need one square for each bookmark. I made mine 5” x 5”. You could go bigger than this, but I wouldn’t go any smaller!
Step Two: Now we will start folding to make your first bookmark! These folds are pretty simple, so just follow along. First, fold in half, making a triangle.
Step Three: Take the top point of the triangle (just the top layer!) and fold it down towards the bottom.
Step Four: Fold the bottom left corner up to the top point of the triangle.
Step Five: Now do the same with the right corner of the triangle, once again matching it with the top of the triangle.
Step Six: You will now just take those points and fold them back down to the bottom, making a crease in the middle. Once you have the crease made, fold the paper back in the other direction, slipping it into the pocket created by the fold in Step Three.
Step Seven: Now for the fruit shapes: Take a spare piece of paper and trace the corner of the pocket you just created. You will just need to trace the bottom part. Once you have that drawn, just connect the two points with an arch to create your fruit slice!
Step Eight: And now it’s time for the fun part! Take your colored pencils or markers and color the shape you just cut out. You can follow along with my color patterns or create your own. I made a lime, a watermelon, and an orange.
Step Nine: Once you are done coloring, it’s time to attach your fruit shapes to the folded square. Take your glue stick and apply glue to the outside of the pocket. Then line up the pointed corner of your fruit and attach it to the outside part of the pocket.
That’s it! Now you are ready to kick off your summer reading with these cute bookmarks. Let us know how you decided to decorate your bookmarks. I can think of a few other fruits we could add to our collection!
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 or a lit-themed cake.
However you use them, these DIY book page flowers are a lovely way to upcycle damaged or obsolete old books. There are many different patterns for book-page blooms out there (including our paper hydrangeas tutorial), and this one makes a particularly elegant flower. Once you get the hang of making the petals, this craft goes super fast. Kids can easily help out with this project. I recommend making it a fun assembly line to make the petals and then just helping them with the hot glue gun for the finishing touch!
Materials:
- Old book pages
- Ruler
- Scissors
- Pencil
- Hot glue gun
Cost: If you have a glue gun, this project shouldn’t cost you a thing! This is the perfect chance to upcycling old book pages into beautiful decorations.
Step One: To start, you will need a perfect square from your old book pages. Each square makes one petal and you will need 5 petals per flower. I worked with 5” squares — but just remember, the larger or smaller your square, the larger or smaller your flower will be. If you plan on making a few, it could be fun to create a variety of different-sized flowers!
Step Two: The next set of steps are how to fold your petals. I broke this down step by step, so just follow along for each fold and you will end up with the perfect petal, and eventually, the perfect flower!
First, fold up one corner point to make a triangle.
Step Three: Fold over the right point up to the top.
Step Four: Fold over the left point to the top.
Step Five: Now take the top right point and fold it over towards the right, even with the side (see picture if this sounds confusing). Make a nice crease.
Step Six: Do the same for the left. Make sure to really crease these folds because you’ll need the crease lines as a guide in a few steps.
Step Seven: Take the right flap that you just folded over. Open it up with your pointer finger so that the side fold is now in the middle. Flatten it out and it will look like a kite.
Step Eight: And do the same for the left side.
Step Nine: Next, fold over the top of the “kite” so it’s even with the triangle’s sides. Do that on both sides.
Step Ten: Now take the sides and fold it over towards the center. You will already have a crease here from your earlier fold (this is what I was talking about earlier!).
Step Eleven: Next, “curl” up both sides to meet. Don’t crease this part. You want it rounded like a flower petal.
Step Twelve: While pinching the edges together with one hand, with the other take your hot glue gun and glue the sides together. You now have your petal!
Step Thirteen: Repeat steps 1-12 until you have your five petals. Once you get the hang of it, these petals are super easy to make, I promise!
Step Fourteen: Now that you have your five petals, it’s time to glue them together to make your flower. Start with 2 petals and glue the edges together. Once that glue dries, add another bit of glue to the edge and add on the next petal. Just keep adding all your petals in this pattern and you will be holding a full flower before you know it.
And you’re done! I chose to arrange the three flowers I made in a bowl, but there are so many different ways you can display these blossoms around your home. Let us know how you decide to decorate with them; we’d love to see what you come up with!
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 ability to sell books online for home delivery. Or, local stores may have a curbside delivery option where you can browse online and then drive by for pickup.
If your local store doesn’t have an online shop or you’re interested in browsing elsewhere, check out Bookshop.org, an ecommerce site with a mission to financially support local, independent bookstores. Booksellers, authors, and literary publishers (like this site) affiliated with Bookshop earn commissions on sales. Additionally, 10% of regular sales are added to a fund that is evenly divided and distributed to independent bookstores every six months. The site launched in January 2020 and by June had contributed more than $3 million to bookstores!
Purchase gift cards.
If you’re not in the market for new books right now, consider buying gift cards from indie booksellers for the future. You can always use them at a later date, or give them to the book lovers in your life for them to use as they please.
Buy audiobooks.
If you prefer to listen to your books, check out Libro.fm, an audiobook service where you can purchase directly from the independent bookstore of your choice. Libro has partnered with hundreds of bookstores across the county. If you don’t see your favorite store on the list, just contact Libro and they’ll be happy to work with your store to get started selling audiobooks.
Tag your favorite location in social media posts.
Subscribe to your bookstore’s email list. Many stores offer coupons and deals for their email subscribers to use. When you follow their social media pages on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest, you are also showing your support to your friends and followers. Share what makes your favorite store special, and use hashtags like #bookstore, #books, #reading or #bookworm so that other readers can discover the store you love.
Leave a review.
Spend a few minutes writing a review on Google, Yelp, or Tripadvisor. Not only do positive reviews help your favorite bookstore get exposure online, they also give potential customers the chance to learn more about your favorite spot. It’s a win for everyone!
Attend a virtual event.
Many bookshops are offering virtual events that you can attend from the comfort of your home. Participating in online book clubs, workshops, and author readings is a great opportunity to support your indie store with your presence.
Make a donation.
If your indie store is a non-profit organization, contact them to see if you can donate to show your support. Or, consider supporting bookstore owners with a donation to the Book Industry Charitable Foundation, an organization that helps independent booksellers and their families facing financial hardship.
Even in thriving economic times, independent bookstores face challenges. Competition with larger retailers, small profit margins, and overhead costs present an uphill battle for the bookstores we love. Any small step you can take to support your bookstore virtually can make a huge difference. What can you do today to show your love for independent bookstores?
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 motivation ebbs and flows. There are weeks when she’s more excited about making slime (again), building a pillow fort (again), or even practicing her typing than reading a book. And there are other times when she’s rolling through a series of books, pausing only to tell me the author’s life story and when the next installment is set to drop.
Over the years, I have observed a few factors that seem to boost reading enjoyment. Here’s my best advice for parents who want to encourage their kids to read more on their own.
Shore up their Reading Skills
It’s no fun to read when you struggle with it, so parents of kids who aren’t exhibiting much book love should make sure that there’s not an underlying decoding or comprehension challenge in play.
Take a look at your state’s reading standards to familiarize yourself with grade-level expectations and initiate conversations with your child’s teacher about the students’ strengths and challenges. You could also seek a full-fledged learning evaluation from your school district or an independent provider to discover how your child performs on standardized academic and reading assessments. Detailed evaluations can let you know where your child needs additional support to bring the words on pages to life.
Studies indicate that early reading skill matters for later reading skill and motivation, so make it a priority to secure a strong literacy foundation now.
Supply Interesting Reading Material
Assuming your child can decode and comprehend the texts available to them, the next most important parent action is to give them ample access to interesting (to them) reading material of all kinds—print or digital books, magazines, recipes, lists, instruction manuals—whatever they’ll read attentively. Along with skill, enjoyment is great fuel for reading volume, so stock up on material related to your child’s interests.
One of my favorite examples of this approach is a parent who bought Minecraft books to complement a child’s obsession with the game. “I’ve found that far from increasing time spent on Minecraft, getting your Minecraft fan a book about Minecraft seems to actually have no other effect than to increase the time they spend reading,” the parent observed. “With enthusiasm. As in, I don’t even have to nag them to read. They, gulp, seem to actually WANT to read.”
Epic Digital library is a great choice for families in need of fresh reading material. This kid-focused library offers thousands of ebooks in an ad-free, immersive environment for children 12 and under.
Remember, it’s never the time to force your literary tastes on your child. As long as the content they enjoy isn’t racist, violent, or otherwise objectionable, let them read what they want on their own time, because that literacy practice can boost their reading fluency, vocabulary, and stamina. This is what I tell myself when my daughter is more into magazines and books based on her favorite TV shows than the children’s literature I prefer.
Make it Social
I’ve witnessed firsthand how my daughter’s reading enjoyment is enhanced by factors beyond the book itself—like who shared it with her or who else is reading or talking about it. In kindergarten, she read every available installment of The Owl Diaries because her friends were reading the series too. They had a little book club, traded copies, and shared the excitement of tackling their first chapter books together. I’m convinced that the community around the book kept her reading the series longer than the plot or characters alone would have.
Do any of these strategies resonate with you? What have you tried to boost your child’s interest in reading and how did it work?
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 leftover fabric from other DIY crafts? Perfect! You can use different patterns for variety, or make multiple covers from the same material to create unity in the decor of your library.
Materials:
- Hardcover book to cover
- Fabric
- Fabric glue or tape (or you could use a glue gun)
- Sharp scissors/fabric scissors
- Tape measure
- Ruler
- Pencil
Cost: If you have some fabric around (or an old curtain, sheet or garment to cut up), this book craft should not cost you anything. This is the perfect way to use up a smaller scrap!
Step One: The first thing you will need to do is cut out your fabric piece. To do that, you will need to measure your book, so you can cut a piece that’s the right size. Measure both the height of your book and the “wrap-around” width of it from edge to edge with the book closed.
Step Two: Now you’re ready to cut your fabric. Cut a piece of fabric that’s 1 ½” taller than your height measurement and 8” wider than your width measurement.
Step Three: Once you have your piece of fabric cut out, place it down in front of you with the unfinished side facing up. Measure 1 ½” from the top and bottom edges (the long sides) and draw a line lightly with your pencil. Then make a line 4” in on either side (the short sides), marking the part that will become the pockets where you will eventually slide your book in.
Step Four: Now it’s time to create a “finished edge” along the top and bottom. Place some glue between the raw edge along the top of your fabric and the pencil line you just drew (1 ½” below), leaving the last 4” to either side unglued. Then fold the fabric over so the raw edge meets the pencil line. Repeat for the bottom edge.
Step Five: Next you will need to create the pockets for your book to slide into. Measure 8” from either side, making your marks on the part of the fabric you just folded over. The first 4” of this fold will be the part that you just left unglued in the previous step. Place glue along the finished part of the seam only, and then fold the side edge over to meet the mark you just made at 8” in. Your book cover will still be able to slip under the fabric because your first seams are not glued! Press it down gently, being careful not to let the glue seep through the fabric and accidentally glue together the unglued part.
Step Six: All that is left to do is let your glue dry and then slip your book into your beautiful new book cover!
This can be a fun craft to do with kids as well! They will love dressing up their favorite books and pulling them off the shelves for storytime. How will you use your new book covers?
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 favorite book to add some extra literacy to the project. And don’t forget to have them to sign their creation! Whether you’re doing it to create a cute keepsake or as the perfect made-by-me gift, this simple craft is satisfying for all ages.
Materials:
- Yarn
- Scissors
- Cardboard
- Ruler
- Pencil
- Cardstock (patterned, or plain to decorate your own!)
- Mod Podge (or other glue)
- Foam brush
- Hole punch
Cost: You probably have most of these materials around your home! If not, the cost will be very minimal to get a few of these craft supplies, which you can reuse for another project.
Step One: Cut a piece of cardboard to about 3.5 inches wide.Take your yarn and wrap it about 50 times around the cardboard. Then cut the yarn from the spool.
Step Two: Cut a small piece of yarn from the spool and slide it under all the yarn on one side of the cardboard, as shown below, then double knot it at the top.
Step Three: After you tie the knot, cut through all the yarn on the opposite side.
Step Four: Now, to finish off your tassel, cut off two small pieces of yarn from the spool. Wrap the first piece around the top and tightly double knot it to make the head of the tassel. Repeat this with your second piece of yarn, underneath the previous piece of yarn.
Step Five: Trim any straggly pieces of longer yarn from the bottom of your tassel, to clean it up and make it look even.
Step Six: Measure and cut out a 4.5”×6.5″ piece of cardstock. If you’re decorating your own bookmark, now’s the time to decorate it. (I chose to decorate my own rather than using a patterned cardstock, but you can definitely use patterned paper, especially if you want to make several bookmarks.) Once you have cut it out, fold the cardstock in half lengthwise.
Step Seven: Apply a thin layer of Mod Podge (or glue) with a foam brush on the inside of the cardstock, then fold it together and let it dry.
Step Seven: Once it is dry, punch a hole at the top of the bookmark. Double knot the tassel through the hole, cut off the excess yarn and you’re done!
I hope you enjoy making these tassel bookmarks as much as I did! Let us know what book you’ll be using your new bookmark with next. We’d love to know what’s on your reading list!
By Karen Williams
We’re witnessing a worldwide movement against police brutality, systemic racism, and oppression against black people in the United States. The protests, inspired by the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery (to name a few), quickly went global, causing a renewed interest in books, art, and other creative works by and about black people in America. Many are seeking to educate themselves about black history and racism in the United States, and black bookstores, previously overlooked and under-appreciated outside of their communities, are winning wider recognition for their long-standing work in this area.
Three Reasons to Support Black Owned Bookstores
- Black bookstores have historically served as safe spaces and community gathering locations, especially for organizing political movements.
In the late 1960s and 1970s, many black bookstores provided families with access to books about black culture, black history, and the growing civil rights and Black Power movement. So much so that J. Edgar Hoover of the FBI encouraged the surveillance of Black independent booksellers.
Even today, African American bookstores continue to support emerging authors, independent writers, and minority owned publishing houses. You’ll typically find a robust calendar of book signings, poetry readings, literacy programs for children, and other events for book lovers of all races to enjoy and explore. - The number of black bookstores is steadily declining in the United States.
Unfortunately, since their peak in the 1970s and 1980s, the number of African-American-owned bookstores has dropped significantly. The advent of online bookstores, widespread internet access and economic challenges are but a few factors contributing to this disturbing trend. Buying from black-owned bookstores is one way to show your support for black-owned businesses and entrepreneurs striving to leave a cultural legacy in their communities. - You’ll find a wider selection of titles from Black authors, including independent writers and books from small publishing companies.
Depending on the book title and subject matter, you might have to search a little further than Amazon or your local chain bookstore to find lesser-known reads by and about African Americans.
During the American Booksellers Association’s 2020 Winter Institute keynote event “Bookselling and Liberation: Black Bookstores in America, from the ’60s to the Present,” Judy Richardson of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), explained how a book sales rep visiting her store was shocked to discover that she was in a black bookstore and that the book selection differed so greatly from what she typically encountered.
Black owned and independent bookstores are among America’s greatest cultural treasures, and supporting these businesses is just one small way you can support the black community and stand in solidarity for equality.
77 Black Bookstores to Support Today
Click here to view a full list, including website and social media details.
House plants are great for greening your living space—they can even purify the air. Succulents are about as easy as they come, and hardy enough to let kids take the lead in caring for them. So why not add a touch of life and lit to your home with this DIY book craft planter?
Use them as decorative accents or feature them on a minimalist shelf or end table. Wherever you place them, this creative upcycled book craft will add a charming and unique touch. This project is easy to make, will last a long time, and can be a fun one to do with kids, provided you do the cutting for them.
Materials:
- Hardcover book
- X-Acto knife
- Plastic container(s) no taller than the book is thick (use one or a few)
- Rocks
- Soil
- Succulents
Cost: This project should cost you around $20 if you have to purchase materials. But if you’re looking for a way to re-pot some succulents and already have an X-Acto knife, you may be able to gather and upcycle the materials for this craft at no cost!
Step One: The first step is to carve out a rectangle in the middle of the book with your X-Acto knife. This does not have to be perfect! You will be covering the top with rocks at the end and you won’t even be able to see the inside pages once this is done, so don’t worry if you can’t get a clean cut. I found it worked best to cut the rectangle out of the cover first, and then work in sections to cut further into the pages of the book. Don’t cut all the way through all the pages before checking the depth with your containers (step two).
Step Two: Test the depth with your plastic container. You want the height of the container to hit a little below the cover of the book. Cut away as many pages as necessary. This will differ depending on the thickness of your book and the plastic container(s) you use. You can easily reuse plastic containers for this step! I found some that were the right height but small enough that I needed to use two, but you can also just use one larger container here.
Step Three: Layer the bottom of your container(s) with rocks. This is a gardening tip! Because our containers won’t be draining out excess water, this step will keep the succulents very happy! Having rocks at the base lets water drain through the soil and collect here, so we won’t overwater our succulents by accident.
Step Four: Now just add soil over the rocks and plant your succulents.
Step Five: Use your remaining rocks to cover the soil and fill in around the container(s) to the edge of the book. This final step adds the perfect decorative touch to your book craft planter!
Now it’s time to find your succulent garden a new home and enjoy! You can even make a few to use around the house, or as centerpieces for your next festive meal.
Kelsey Nickerson creates abstract paintings with rich color, texture, and movement, and enjoys a good book craft. She oversees web production and photography for MayaSmart.com.
By Maya Payne Smart
In reading, as in conversation, it’s not just what we say, but how we say it that matters.
The rhythm, pitch, and intonation someone brings to spoken words can convey meaning far beyond basic definitions. A shaky utterance might indicate fear or uncertainty. Changes in the pitch or speed of speech might accompany a compliment, signal anger, or communicate disappointment. Facial expressions and gestures, too, bring layers of interpretation and significance to text.
Reading fluency is the ability to read a text smoothly with rhythm, expression, and appropriate emotion, and it is a critical literacy skill. Its presence is a telltale sign that a child grasps the meaning of the words they’re reading and can convey their larger sense to others.
But this kind of rhythmic, expressive reading doesn’t just spring naturally from kids’ lips. It’s something that they learn by observation, through conversation, and from instruction.
Hearing parents and others reading aloud models it for kids. But caregivers should go a step further and engage in conversation with kids about how we can use our voices to communicate, by adjusting our tone, pace, and volume accordingly. Such discussion can awaken kids to their vocal power.
Beyond talking about expression, you can teach fluency and provide opportunities to practice it through a range of songs, games, and activities, including wordless picture book “readings.”
Check out a post by Jessica “Culture Queen” Hebron about how to use wordless picture books to teach reading fluency concepts.
