illust. Carla Mihelich. ISBN 187918175-4 A4 hardback 48 pages
Subtitled “An origami Fold-and-Tell story, this is a richly illustrated guide to making the Flapping Bird. Each double page has an evocative and colourful illustration on one side and steps towards the Flapper on the other, accompanied by prose which relates both to the folding sequence and the large illustration. There is a set of concise instructions at the end, and a page about the “lessons of origami”. One of these is “to make each and every fold a contemplative and willed act of beauty.” Now wouldn’t it be nice if we all considered that whilst folding?
The authoress has worked as a speech pathologist, using origami to foster the development of her students’ skills. She also discovered that origami “nurtures spiritual growth”. Overall, I feel the book is a little “new-age” for readers who may be looking for a quick origami fix, but more thoughtful children (and adults) will enjoy the luxuriant images and the gentle, spiritual approach of the book.