Papers Books

Origami Treasure Chest is a real treasure. It contains easy to follow instructions and diagrams with illustrations of the finished origami models. It contains a variety of models with some variations for some of the models. The models are simple to intermediate. I recommend this book to origamists who want some easy models to create.

This is a wonderful book. I first saw it at the library and knew that I wanted to purchase it. What caught my attention was that the origami pictures inside were actual colored photographs--not drawn pictures. It definitely helps alot more when you see the actual photographs. It makes folding origami much easier!

I am not exactly very good at folding origami and the things I tried came out wonderful. This origami book is different from others I've seen because it teaches you how to fold useful things besides the typical animals. You can learn how to fold special envelopes, boxes with handles, wreaths, and decorations.

I definitely recommend you to get this book. It is excellent!

I do origami as a hobby, using the results for presents for friends and family. This has been my favorite origami books since I first discovered it. The instructions are very good; I have usually been able to understand them during my first attempt at a design. If you're just beginning origami, with no previous experience, there is an explanation of the folding symbols on the back of the front cover. However, there are no detailed beginners explanations, so, unless you feel up to it, you may not want to get this book if you have never done origami before. If you do have a little experience, this is a very good book. Some of the designs are more simple than others, and even the simple designs look good. I am always annoyed at "easy origami" books that are easy, but have horrible looking designs. This is not the case with this book, and, in fact, I have created some beautiful origami mobiles using only designs found in this book. There may not be as much variety in this book as you might find in other origami books, but you can be reasonably certain that you'll be able to fold all the designs found in this book. I have yet to encounter an origami book that I have gotten as much use out of as this one.

This is a wonderful book. I first saw it at the library and knew that I wanted to purchase it. What caught my attention was that the origami pictures inside were actual colored photographs--not drawn pictures. It definitely helps alot more when you see the actual photographs. It makes folding origami much easier!

I am not exactly very good at folding origami and the things I tried came out wonderful. This origami book is different from others I've seen because it teaches you how to fold useful things besides the typical animals. You can learn how to fold special envelopes, boxes with handles, wreaths, and decorations.

I definitely recommend you to get this book. It is excellent!

Full of classy images, fine printing, and well illustrated. Each Origami project page starts with a lovely reproduction of a Japanese woodcut print. Illustrations and steps are clear and logical. Includes a nice little supply of folding papers! This book has given me hours of pleasure learning Origami.

This is a beautiful book. Although it is certainly designed with the beginner in mind, it has much for the collector, certainly a collector familiar with the Met's collections of oriental art--someting worth the trip to NYC just to see.

For the beginner, there is the obligatory introduction to origami. This includes a survey of the history of the artform, a description of the standard method of illustrating folds, and the basic folds themselves. A brief overview of all the models in pictorial form is part of the table of contents, and it is easy to see that the beginning folder is well supplied with easy objects to try. The first four of the 34 designs are dedicated to folded projects that even a preschool child might be able to perform, even memorize. The first 11 would be easily folded by K to 3rd graders.

Those models 12 to 34 might are a bit more challenging. They certainly require a bit more grasp of three dimensional forms. They would be a supurb method for introducing solid geometry to individuals who have difficulty thinking in terms of x-y-z directional planes. Just familiarity with manipulating the designs might help develop that type of spacial thinking that can be difficult for some individuals to grasp when it's introduced in the cold, dry principles of textbook solid geometry.

The most difficult design is probably the last in the book, the umbrella. Although an experienced folder should have no difficulty, it is rather involved, and may pose a challenge for the novice. It is, however, quite clever and well worth a try. Done successfully once, it should be easy to repeat. I think a perseverant 6th grader, especially one familiar with the art, would be more than capable of mastering it.

Most of the designs are old standbys, like the cup, fan, kimonos, lantern, crane, and frog. I've seen all of the more unusual ones, singly or in pairs, in other books. This is a nice collection of some of the more unique models. There is a lovely butterfly pattern, and probably one of most realistic goldfish I've seen so far. (Frequently what's labeled "goldfish" looks more like some other fish entirely.)

The real treat of the book, for me at least, was the lovely watercolors and woodblock prints by some of the Japanese masters. Kitagawa Utumaro's (1753-1805)wood print of two noble ladies is lovely, and his Lion Dance captures the joyfulness of a new year's celebration. Of course the wonderful artwork of Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858), with its color and its activity, captures the essence of life during his era with a brevity of line that is almost modern. The descriptions of these pictures and the addition of origami that helps capture Japanese culture for the folder is also enlightening. I think anyone who enjoys oriental art, not to mention origami, will enjoy the book.

This origami book is particularly wonderful in its originality. It not only has diagrams for 34 designs, but also comes with 48 sheets of origami paper that can be stored in the cover. The book presents the origami designs in an interesting way: They are featured alongside beautiful Japanese art prints from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, with detailed descriptions of the origami folds and the paintings. The book also contains a brief introduction and history of origami, and gives an interesting glimpse into Japanese culture and art. It is a great book for beginners; it begins with the most simple folds and progresses to more and more advanced folds along the way. This added with the information about origami and included paper make it a great start for those interested in the art. Those that already practice origami may also be interested; the book includes several unique and interesting folds. For example, the book includes an umbrella that is more of an `origami project' that involves two pieces of paper, paper strips, glue, and a chopstick/toothpick. This umbrella actually opens and closes, and is also the `drink umbrella' often placed in poolside drinks. This is rather interesting to know how to make. My only complaint concerns a few designs that are, to put it plainly, pretty ugly. These ugly designs include a coat, kimono, figure, and the only other `origami project' (involves six pieces of paper and glue) entitled `Lion Dance.' However, these four designs could interest others, and there are thirty other designs that I really like. Another small complaint: A `Mount Fuji' design that involves five folds is not ugly, but really too simple for anyone other than small children to want to make. The only other concern may be for origami purists: Other than the two `origami projects' previously mentioned, three of the other designs involve the use of scissors, and five involve the use of glue. I, however, am not a purist, and the use of glue and scissors is very minimal, so this is not a complaint of mine. Beyond the few complaints, the book is very nice and very well put together. I would definitely recommend it for beginners or those interested in unique origami books. For those interested, the book includes the following origami folds: a cup, Mount Fuji, fan, bamboo letterfold, dove, lantern, shell, turtle, coat, kimono, fish, shrimp, `Lion Dance,' morning glory, butterfly, figure, basket, wooden stand (looks like a Chinese food takeout box), chopstick wrapper, goldfish, Japanese Bobtail Cat, owl, boat (interesting looking `treasure boat'), flapping bird, crane (of course), phoenix, chrysanthemum, persimmon, inflatable frog, iris, snail, dragonfly, bellflower, and (drink) umbrella.

This book is beautiful simply as a book. It is well constructed and stays open with no trouble. I would consider leaving out on my coffee table. It is well written and thought out. It puts origami in general within Japanese cultural context as well as each individual creation. I have about thirty origami books and this is one of the best.

I am impressed with The New York Review's revival of this unexpectedly non-Jamesian title. A truly unique James choice to bring back to life--it's been done so with a cover so compelling (I'm not a tradional James fan) I opened the book which I found locally in a brick and mortar as they are now called, book shop. The internet cannot do justice to the thoughtful sophistication of this book's packaging. (But I can purchase another copy here more easily!) The publisher's comments about the work were also compelling and complimentary to the cover art. The Other House is a mystery, a detective story, a love triangle with more than three angles--a true page turner--with a timelessly human plot and "modern" characters. Anyone thriller fan would be enchanted with it. And turning every page, holding the book, is a sensory thrill. Paper, writing, art--all representative of what any literary rebirth deserves. If it's worth bringing back--do it with quality, I say! They did--along with a whole marvelous collection of equally intriguing books, with well written new introductions. Good choices--the pieces themselves, the introduction authors and the book artist designers. Truly timeless in all ways!

This book is a novelization of the play by the same name. And you can see the stageplay - the characters are continually coming and going - and there's stage business - all of which I think shows some stiffness - yet about half way through the novel I was startled at how much the characters were real, rounded - I could just about see them - they ached with life - I was always aware of the stage during the novel - the story itself is rather shocking - it's a mystery novel! - it's all very well done - it's short - and it's very psychological

A trusted friend sent me a copy of this new edition of The Other House, insisting that I'd enjoy it. It looked intriguing. I felt obligated to at least give it a try. I still trust the friend! I can't believe this is what is known as a Classic. I thought they were all very boring. I couldn't wait to get back to this plot and I'd never have thought it was written in the uptight Victorian era. It's more like a movie special of the week or one of the top ten best selling novels. Read it then recommend it and impress your friends with your literary depth.

It's hard to believe that James's theatrical turn of the late 19th century ended with his audience "booing" him off the stage. This novelized play reads quickly and delightfully. I've read more than twenty of his novels, and this was the quickest of them all.

The plot is simple enough (at least for James): two houses, apparently back to back, in Wilverley, a small English village, set the scene. One contains a widow, the other a young married couple. The young wife widows the young husband, and he becomes Wilverley's "most eligible bachelor," except for the fact that he promised his dying wife that he would never marry again, at least not during the life of his child. So somebody has to kill the child, right?

Enter James's genius for character. There's Paul, the huge, infinitely imperturbable son of the wealthy Mrs. Beever; the diminutive and impetuous Dennis Vidal; Tony Bream himself, a remarkably good-natured but insensitive fool; and the powerful Mrs. Beever, whose awful determination cows every one else before her. Like James's best writing, his characters become interesting on their own; his fictions become an opportunity to satisfy curiosity. I think that's what makes this book a "page-turner"; the characters are interesting enough that I want to know what's going to happen.

In the end, I suppose, what makes this book succeed is what would have made the dramatic version fail: James's endless fascination with the workings of the human mind must have become either painfully boring or just incomprehensible to a theatrical audience. However it came about, I recommend it unequivocally.

I had the chance to meet the author and we discussed our love for our Grandmothers. The germ of this book is based on her grandmother's life. And for me that made it that much more interesting. It is well worth your time.

I indulged myself - finishing Paper Children in under two days. Wow. What a span of time and work. I am deeply impressed and moved. The character Marcia Fine created in her grandmother's image - Paulina - is truly priceless and very real. I cried my eyes out reading the letters with Paulina. Mein Gott! Marcia's use of cultural idiom and word placement was superb. Nathan really came to life. Marcia Fine has captured the deep, deep essence of how marriage is not a black and white situation: there are nuances and trade offs and things we women have to suck back for survival and tradition... . I was taken with how in the midst of things Paulina would always consider Nathan's good traits as well.



There were stunning passages, stirring original turns of phrase, and Marcia did something very difficult today - created love scenes that felt true to their era and the personalities of the character. Most importantly, they were simple, yet sumptuous and original.



I like how Marcia narrated through the heads of these three generations of brave women! I loved the end - a poignant culmination illuminating the meaning of the title: Paper Children.



Paper Children is a gripping, elegant, and aching foray into a fleeting correspondence which sheds both horrible and beautiful light on a time humanity should never, never forget. Be sure to keep an eye out for Marcia Fine's books; she is a writer whose work is worth following.





Renee Rivers



Associate Fiction Editor, Hayden's Ferry Review

Paper Children was the first of Marcia Fine's books that I've read but not the last. I enjoyed the history behind each woman and how they prospered from it. The story was interesting and easy to follow.

This book shows a fascinating and different perspective to the victims of the Holocaust --- from the family members who immigrated to the US who discovered through letters and then no letters what was happening to their Polish Jewish relatives remaining in Europe. It is told through the distinct voices of three generations of women. A very descriptive novel, it gives the reader a real sense of the life and times of these women and their choices. A great read!

If you want to make creative, fun, and unique jewelry, than look no further! Paper Clip Jewelry is a kit with everything you need to make fun, fine, and fabulous stuff! There are gold, silver, and colored paper clips, wire pliers, beads, string, and more, including a how-to book. My parents were amazed that I could make jewelry out of such simple stuff. The book gives clear instructions and fun projects, but the most important thing is to be creative. I did that and the result was FABULOUS jewelry! So order this TERRIFIC book today and say hello to a new hobby!

This is the best book I have ever seen! For girls (and boys too) who like to make, wear, or give jewelry. When people see the stuff I made with this book, they can't believe I made it with paperclips. It looks like the real thing. I made pins, chains, necklaces, bracelets and a lot of other cool stuff using just a few basic wireworking skills. The pliers come with it, and the instructions are really clear and easy to follow. My friend Katherine made her mother a gorgeous pair of earrings. I highly recommend this cool book.

This is a wonderful, empowering craft book. It starts at the very beginning, and has clear instructions, excellent illustrations, and tons of ideas for making simple wire and bead jewelry. I was having fun, being creative, and making lovely gift-worthy jewelry the very first day I picked up this book and my needlenose pliers. My 5 year old daughter is enjoying both the design process and the results.

The downside: the wirework does require strong hands and some practice. My 10 year old son can't quite master bending the wire into shapes, even though he was motivated enough to try it for himself, which makes me question whether or not a young person could actually some create the designs shown in the book.
After a couple weeks of practice, I still can't master the stone pendant wraps shown as the last project in the book.

Alltogether, it has been a great jumping-off point for myself, as a beginner adult. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this book and kit as a gift for a tween/teen.

All of us have thought on occasion, "How can such a simple idea be so beautiful" and this book illustrates the point. I bought one for my daughter and we have worked together to make items as gifts for friend and family. Often, the reaction is "I can't believe you can do that with just paper clips and beads!" We have loved the American Girl library series and this must be one of the best "interactive" books on the market.

Clearly THE book for the beginner and intermediate collector. It gives an excellent overview of each type of note (Nationals, Silver Certs, etc.) as well brief descriptions of each note within each type. A great way to learn the history associated with the engravings on U.S. paper currency from the Civil War (1861) to the present.

And, of course, the Friedberg numbering scheme is the standard method of referencing notes among collectors and dealers alike.

It should be noted however, that the values given for the notes are very rough approximations (very conservative). This is especially true for the UNC grade(MS60-64). There are no values for GEM notes (MS65+).

If you're looking for a comprehensive note reference with ball park values, this book is for you.

I find this is a great book for any collector of U.S. Currency. Crisp photos of just about EVERY diff Note 1861-Current (Very Nice color section in the back) and up-to-date pricing in the fast changing currency market. Also great for keeping track of your own collection. Definately Recommended!

This is the standard reference work on United States Currency for the collector. While the prices given are pretty much obsolete in the volatile currency market, the Friedberg Numbering system is universally used by dealers and collectors alike. If you are considering participation in floor or online auctions, you cannot tell what you are bidding on without this book, as all notes will be listed by FR#. Well worth the investment!

This book is a must-have for the serious US currency collector, along with the Standard Catalog, 17th edition. Together they provide a great catalog and price guide for US Treasury issues. There are good sections on fractionals and Confederate currency, and decent treatment of colonials. No obsoletes or military payment certificates. The black and white photos are quite a bit larger than those in the Standard Catalog. The color pictures in the back are a nice touch, but the printing is not the world's greatest -- many of the reds come out as pinks, the greens look almost fluorescent, etc.

There aren't many anecdotes or interesting bits of trivia, but as a guide and catalog it is top notch.

This is the first book in Linda Windsor's Moonstruck Series and it's a winner. Caroline Spencer has agreed to chaperone her daughter Annie's class trip to Mexico. She is seated on the plane by Blaine Madison, whose daughter, Karen, is her daughter's best friend. He is also a Harrison Ford lookalike, and Caroline wants to make a good impression. Unfortunately, she is afraid of flying, and gets a major case of the hiccups. You can hear her all over the plane. She's sure Blaine is totally unimpressed.
Blaine and Caroline are thrown together constantly because of their daughters. Mexico and moonlight madness work their spell, but then the girls get caught up in a smuggling ring and suddenly the trip becomes a disaster.
LInda Windsor's characters are engaging, the humor is relaxed and natural, and there's plenty of page turning suspense. Paper Moon will leave the reader hungry for more. Fortunately, books two and three are available. So if you like exotic settings, humor and plenty of romantic suspense, check out Linda Windsor's Moonstruck Series. You'll be glad you did.

I thoroughly enjoyed Paper Moon. Linda Windsor has such a penchant for humor that you find yourself laughing out loud at the antics of Mrs. C, Annie, Karen, and Blaine. Any parent who has chaparoned a teen trip will relive some of the experiences through the situations Linda conceives for her characters. This is a delightful tale with so much good fun and a little bit of suspense thrown in for good measure. Paper Moon is a great read to take your mind off what ails you.

This read which happens to be the first in the "Moonstruck Series" deftly combines, suspense, romance, humor, and a strong spiritual message into a well rounded story that will have readers anticipating the next in the series.

Single parents Caroline Spencer, and Blaine Madison are both tackling to the best of their abilities of raising teenage daughters. When a on school trip to Mexico these two very different but damaged people find love but this new found love will be tested when their daughters are kidnapped. Will their faith in God, and in each other be strong enough to survive a parents worst nightmare?

Ms. Windsor has penned a very good character driven read. Caroline and Blaine are truly wonderful characters and her use of wit and humor helped to make them very real for the reader. These are not "perfect people" and as a result it was easy to see and believe that these two people were able to find love a second time around with each other. This is a read that I highly recommend you not miss.

Official Reviewer for www.romancedesigns.com

Linda Windsor has a winner in "Paper Moon," Book One of the Moonstruck Series from WestBow Press.

Caroline Spencer is the divorced mother of 16 year-old Annie who, along with her best friend, Karen, want to take a school trip to Mexico. Naturally, they need chaperones, and Caroline joins them on the trip designed to promote family togetherness.

Blaine Madison barely makes the plane to join the school sponsored trip. Traveling with a group of Christian teenagers and their parents to Mexico makes Blaine feel uncomfortable. After all, he lost his faith in God after his wife died. But it will give him an opportunity to spend time with his daughter, Karen.

When he's seated next to Caroline on the plane, her natural humor has the stressed out Blaine smiling for the first time in ages. Then, the night of their arrival in Acapulco, the kids visit the disco club, Banditos, where no liquor is served. There his daughter Karen meets John Chandler, a senior at the University of California in Mexico City, and Blaine's parental instincts get into high gear. It's not only the difference in ages between his daughter and the college student that make him suspicious. There's something about John just doesn't sit right with him.

Unbeknownst to the travelers, John is involved in a ring of thieves who steal priceless stamp collections, meant to be sold abroad. John's goal is to find a naïve target: someone to mail the card carrying the stolen property from the States. Despite the rule of not accepting packages, Karen falls prey to John's request.

As the school group tours Mexico, Blaine finds himself turning to Caroline for help in understanding his daughter. The spiritual depth behind Caroline's words eases the guilt Blaine feels over the loss of his wife, and also helps bridge the gap between father and daughter. And Caroline finds herself attracted to the handsome, lonely widower. As the days pass, her attraction for Blaine continues to grow.

But when John discovers that Karen has lost the envelope he gave her, and then Karen and Annie disappear, Blaine blames Caroline. Caroline trusts in God to keep the girls safe. But is Blaine ready to give God - and Caroline - a second chance?

Linda Windsor has won numerous awards for her novels, including historical and contemporary romances, and after reading "Paper Moon," I can see why. "Paper Moon" is filled with adventure, suspense, marvelous humor and great sensitivity. To say I eagerly look forward to her next release is an understatement. This is definitely a not-to-be missed book!

I really liked this book for telling me about things that I haden't thought of before, although I thought myself to be an evironmentally aware person. Some of the statistics are breathtaking. Facts are supported by visuals and an attractive layout. As a general reader with no specific education in the environmental science field, it was a bit dry for me at times, but well worth the read. I made lasting changes in my every day life due to the book, and can't get the statistics about plastic bottles and only small amounts of the actually recyclables making it to a "next life" beyond the garbage dump out of my head. Quite life changing.

There are environmental causes that stir the emotions--the plight of whales and baby seals, the fate of redwoods, or the metastasis of suburbia. But Daniel Imhoff would point out that the most pervasive and fastest-growing environmental problem is so commonplace it's invisible: packaging. Styrofoam containers from a fast-food meal, the anti-theft blister packaging that encapsulates retail electronics, or the common aluminum can and plastic bottle are all part of a waste stream that composes some 300 pounds of garbage per person per year, headed straight from the shelf to the landfill.
Apparently mindful of the fact you can read only so much about polystyrene peanuts and polyethylene bottles, Imhoff has organized his book into punchy little essays, short case studies, and colorful charts that survey the extent of the packaging problem, along with a range of solutions that some companies are trying.

Imhoff points out that packaging is increasingly the product itself--a method corporations use to market feelings of familiarity, uniformity, or purity. To illustrate, he would have you consider evolution of the egg: It is nature's perfect packaged food source, with its container, the shell, being durable yet entirely biodegradable. For years, eggs came in molded paper pulp. Now the most expensive of them frequently come in molded plastic trays, derived from petroleum products. (Nature's Promise, which markets eco-friendly eggs, requests on its tray that you recycle the plastic packaging, even though few municipalities take such containers.) And lately eggs come as pre-scrambled "pasteurized real egg product," in capped cartons at premium prices--far removed from the simple egg. The packaging will be with us decades, maybe eons, after the egg has been cracked, scrambled, and eaten.

As its title implies, packaging choices for environmentalists are dilemmas, with few simple solutions: Would you rather bag your groceries in the products of clear-cut forests or petroleum? He holds up companies such as Aveda, the Minneapolis-based cosmetics company, as pioneers. Aveda worked to eliminate toxic or less-recyclable plastics from its packaging line, and strove for 100 percent recycled plastics in its containers, risking profit margins in the process. Other companies are experimenting with novel products, such as biodegradable plastics.

But even these are merely "less bad" solutions in a world full of packaging waste. Imhoff concedes that packaging offers a good deal of convenience and that making upright choices involves giving up some of that convenience. He recommends carrying a mug and a reusable water bottle, eating in instead of getting takeout, buying in bulk (which reduces packaging waste), buying from local farmers and farmers' markets, and toting around cloth bags. When the cashier asks the question in the book's title, Imhoff suggests, hand over a cloth bag and say, "Neither."

This book is excellent and a very easy read. It does a great job of breaking down the different products and their impact on the environment. There are great examples of companies that are doing their part to help reduce the negative impact on the environment.

If every person in America understood the energy, chemicals, natural resources and money that went into creating packages, it's likely our consumption habits would dramatically change. Imhoff does a great job of detailing the hazards and challenges of packaging, without being preachy - he lets the statistics and facts tell the story. This book informs, amazes, and startles the reader.

My child and I loved this book, It inspired her so much she wanted to make her own paper doll just like the paper princess! we did. Highly recommended!!!!

My children and I were enchanted by this book. We love the author's ability to blend imaginary elements -- talking paper dolls, toys and animals -- with real and inspiring facts from nature, namely the migration of Monarch butterflies. The passages which show the paper princess abandoned in the discarded Christmas tree, enduring the harsh winter, awakening in spring, and finally being rescued by the Monarchs "one late summer day...when the leaves are flying like tiny kites" are especially moving. This tale both feeds our imaginations and stimulates our awe for the animal kingdom. Sharing this beautiful and unique book would be a great way to introduce Monarchs in the classroom.

The Paper Princess Finds Her Way is an absolutely wonderful and inspiring book. Even though "It can be a hard world for small fragile things," the paper princess knows she must change because the world around her has changed. She boldly takes on the challenges of the hard world and finds adventure, beauty and newness. Elisa's writing is wonderfully illustrative; I could clearly imagine the cat who "smiled a sharp cat smile" or the butterflies that "travelled, a magic carpet of sunlit wings." The story made me laugh, smile and think about the beauty in life and the beauty of change. This book is not just for children. However, my eight year old was just as enthralled as I.
"Wait! I want to look at the picture," he urged, not wanting to be rushed before he read the page. The illustrations in The Paper Princess Finds Her Way are intimate and full of details that tell their own stories such as birthday parties or a child
cooking with her grandma. As with Elisa's other books, studying the pictures is much of the fun and I'd become absorbed in the small village or living room on the page. I highly recommend this book for children's libraries, home libraries and all elementary school classrooms.

AT LAST! More adventures about the brave and friendly, soulful paper princess making her way from her (now grown up) creator to the hand of another artistic child in Mexico. What a wonderful antidote to the mass consumer society we live in today. It is definitely a story to cherish and the illustrations are beyond this world! Kleven's illustrations of the Monarch butterflies in flight are mystical and left me hoping for more. Hooray for our brave princess and may her own creator, Elisa Kleven, bless us with more delightful and heartfelt stories!!

The Paper Princess loves a little girl named Lucy who is good to the princess and her dog. When they find out that there is to be a fiesta later in the day, they set out to do something nice for Lucy. As the princess and her dog fly on the wind in search of the perfect gift, they encounter many adventures and only by a stroke of good fortune are returned to their little girl. Though they weren't able to bring her much in the way of a physical gift, the princess and her dog gave Lucy what she loves best of all: their adventure story.

The Paper Princess Flies Again (with Her Dog) is a precious, whimsical story. The colorful and lively illustrations blend seamlessly with the text to produce a wonderful tale. I also enjoyed that this story is set outside of the American cultural norm. This is not the first of the Paper Princess tales, but that fact doesn't detract from the story. It only leaves me and my children hoping to pick up the other Paper Princess titles.

Armchair Interviews says: A delightful, entertaining read.

Elisa Kleven explains on the back flap of "The Paper Princess Flies Again (with her Dog!)" than when she finished reading "The Paper Princess Finds Her way" to a group of children they asked her what would happened next to the princess and her new paper dog. She wrote and illustrated this third story in the series to find out and to "inspire children to draw their own paper characters and to give those characters stories and worlds." After reading this book I have little doubt that Kleven has succeeded in her objective.

This enchanting story is set in Mexico, where a girl named Lucy loves a paper princess who is not thicker than a leaf but who is full of stories. Although the paper princess has traveled far from the girl who first drew her and the boy who gave her wings, she now has a dress like the sky and a dog. Lucy agrees he is a good dog, but since he looks a little plain she decides to paint him a colorful jacket. The dog does not think he needs a jacket given his warm brown coat, but then Lucy explains he needs it because they are going to have a fiesta that night. In appreciation for the coming party, the princess and her dog decide they should find something nice for Lucy. But when they find a red paper flag that they imagine to be a flying carpet, it whisks them up into the air and off into a new adventure.

Traveling on a kite, a tumbleweed, and a sailboat, the paper princess and her dog end up in a surprising place to make Lucy's fiesta quite memorable. Kleven's artwork consists of beautiful multi-media collages that bring alive her characters. "The Paper Princess Flies Again (with her Dog!)" represents both the desire of children to venture out and discover the world as well as the joy of returning to a warm and loving home (especially when there is a new dress and a crown or a new jacket involved). Granted, in the 21st century the idea of making a paper princess or anything else you can think of seems rather quaint, but that is probably why this book is so charming. Kleven works in so many varied textures, shapes and colors into her artwork (look at all the details in the two-page spread of the desert and the ocean) that you cannot imagine her young readers not being inspired to follow suit.

This is the latest in the adventures of the paper princess and it's as wonderful as the other two. I love the character of the dog and how the princess' cheerful and brave optimism plays against his more timid nature. It's a great book to read aloud and my kids were totally taken in by the story and cheered at the ending. We also love the two earlier books and they've become favorites that we read over and over again (my two year old now "reads" them to himself). Each of the three books has a very distinctive plot so they don't suffer from being bland imitations of each other. It's a rare author who can take a character and expand her world as successfully as Elisa Kleven does. We can't wait for the princess' next adventure!

I like all Elisa's Kleven's books. They are great stories. I really like this one because there is a dog in it.