I like accordion books because you can stand them up and view all the pages at once. This makes them great for displays and exhibits. Accordion books have a rich history around the world. They are made in many parts of Asia, including China, Japan, Korea, Thailand, India, and Burma. They were also the book form of the Aztecs and Maya in Mexican and Central America. Book artists frequently experiment with the form.

You Need:
* 1 long, narrow piece of paper (I use the front panel of a grocery bag cut in half the long way or a piece of used paper with writing on one side folded in half so that the writing is on the inside.)
* front or back panel of a cereal or cracker box or card stock or posterboard
* Glue stick and scrap paper

1. Fold the paper in half.

2. Take the top layer of paper, flip the edge back to meet the fold, and crease.

3. Turn the paper over, flip the edge of the paper back to meet the fold, and crease.

4. Lift the first page, insert scrap paper, and cover the entire surface with a thin coat of glue by starting in the middle and making stripes up and then down.

5. Place the folded pages, glue side down, on one corner of the cereal box. Leave a very narrow border on the outside edges.

6. Remove the scrap paper and fold it in half with the glue on the inside.

7. Complete the cover by trimming the cereal box so that there is an even narrow border all around.

8. Using the cover you have already made as a guide, cut a second cover.

9. Using scrap paper, put glue on the other side of the pages and place the cover on top.

10. Open the book and smooth the first and last pages with the palm of your hand to help the glue adhere.

You are welcome to print and share this PDF.

Specific projects using the Accordion Book are on Susan's Making Books with Children blog.

View Susan's tutorial on YouTube

Visit the eBookstore for specific accordion book projects with patterns: Festivals of Light Accordion Book in Festivals of Light: Making Books for the Holiday Season, and a Color Poem Book in Homes for Poems.

View the directions in Spanish

© 1999-2021 Susan Kapuscinski Gaylord

skgaylord (at) makingbooks.com

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