Illustrations by Lauren Stringer
A collection of 32 short poems describes each of the different origami figures that a young boy folds over the course of a day. Most are short and bare, in the spirit of the haiku if not the form, but still manage to be clever and humorous. Most of this book’s appeal lies in Stringer’s illustrations, which tell a story where the text does not. The bold acrylic paintings depict the boy waking up, eating breakfast, getting dressed, playing with other toys, taking a bath and getting ready for bed again in the background of his intricate paper creatures. The attention paid to painting the exact folds of each creation is impressive. I particularly enjoyed the inclusion of the boy’s black and white cat in every other illustration, peeking over his shoulder at the crinkle of paper, and opportunistically attacking the origami ostrich that blows off the table. Details of continuity such as this are a treat for children to find on each new page. A bibliography at the end provides suggested resources if readers would like to learn the art of origami themselves.
"The vividly colored acrylics depict the boy actively engaged in play with his creations, and the details that Stringer provides infuse the verses with both energy and humor. Her illustrator's note offers insight into her own efforts to master the art of origami" - School Library Journal
"There are no step diagrams, so this engrossing collaboration is more a motivator than a teaching resource--but Stringer supplies a list of classic titles for beginners at the end, and (librarians: be warned!) the square, brightly colored endpapers make tempting, oh so tempting starter sheets." - Kirkus Reviews
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