Totally Cool Journals, Notebooks & Diaries

I love this book - I am planning an afterschool book-making class and many of the books we'll make are going to be adapted from this book. Brilliantly simple, yet bound to impress the kids! I've taught bookmaking classes before, and I know these designs will appeal to the 3-5th graders. Some of the books I'm considering are: * the Friends book (basically covering a small spiral notebook with foam and initials), * the keychain books (cute plastic covers), * the almost origami books (a little more complicated but I know they'll be worth it), * the snack box diaries (these are so cute - we may do cereal boxes as well as snack boxes), * the game card books (now how brilliant is that, to use playing cards as mini-covers, or even monopoly cards, for mini-books), * the tiny tote books (although we'll use gift bags instead of canvas ones), * school year memory books (using manila envelopes) * nature journals (although I am debating changing this up some to use pencils instead of twigs) * pet books (these are completely adorable) and more! My only slight quibble is that the author relies quite a bit on an expensive disc binding system, which I don't have. So I'll be finagling my own bindings where she uses the discs. Overall, this book is a steal. It will provide hours of creative entertainment for your budding writer.

this is a very clever concept for a kid's craft book. it helps the kids take the idea of making a book- basically pages bound together- and run with it. the projects are simple to make, age appropriate, yet funky and fun. the photography leaves a lot to be desired (a visual book should be designed and photographed better), as does the "editorial" style (there are lot's of typos)- but the overall creativity shines through. if you're looking for good ideas this is for you.