The Toymaker: Paper Toys That You Can Make Yourself

Rating:
Summary: A Magical World of Paper Toys to Amuse & Delight
Review: "Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves." ~Sir James Barrie

I love the colors on the paper toys in this book. These are toys you can cut out and make yourself in a few very easy steps. There are many ways you could use this book and it would be perfect for parties or rainy days. It would also be perfect for birthday presents and Christmas. A few of the boxes could hold delicious miniature cookies. You could make tiny sugar cookies, decorate them, and then give them away in the beautiful boxes.

Here is a list of the items you can make in this book:

A Sun Box - A variety of sun pictures are on each side of the box. Then, there is a little piece with a bear holding hearts and flowers that can be placed inside the box.

Spinners - 6 different "Thaumatropes or Turning Wonders" that can be made with a piece of heavy thread and some glue. A picture magically appears when you spin the paper.

Marble Mice - You will need a marble and glue for this item. The mouse can then slide around like a computer mouse.

Tooth Fairy Gazebo - A much better place to leave teeth, for sure.

Happy Bus - Bears are featured on this bus and they are on the way to the beach.

Box - A box in which to keep seashells and wishes.

Bear Wagon - Similar to the bus, but it has two polar bears.

Florimel The Magnificent - A puppet theatre with a detailed backdrop, ships and water.

Butterfly Basket - One of the beautiful Victorian-style projects that requires very little glue and is very easy to cut out. This basket could hold items while sitting on a desk.

Window to Fairyland - My favorite project because the colors are sage, maroon and dark green.

Penny Aeroplane/Airplane - A more sophisticated version of the "aeroplanes" we tried to make as children. What they needed was a penny.

Toy Shop - This looks like a little cottage. You will need to cut around the door so it can open and you can see the items inside.

Dream Theater - The theatre is in four pieces and is very easy to cut out and glue.

Penny Butterfly - After making these butterflies you can balance them on your fingers.

Catcher - The catcher reminds me of items we used to make as children, but we used to write little sentences on the inside so when you opened them up, you had secret messages that were revealed.

Each playful project in this book is perfect for children of all ages and many of the little boxes can be used for hiding objects and have a "mysterious" element children will enjoy. The pages are made from high-quality paper and the entire book is quite magical. Marilyn Scott-Walters has created an entire world of imaginative toys that can be made in a matter of minutes and will last for years. I would have loved to have had a book like this as a child and finally it has appeared.

~TheRebeccaReview.com


Rating:
Summary: Great book with charming paper toys
Review: Beautifully illustrated booklet containing cut out toys you fold and glue together. Excellent way to pass an afternoon with your kids.
Waters has put together smartly crafted and engineered toy ideas that will look so nice when they are completed, that you'll want to put them on a shelf for display.

Rating:
Summary: Hey, kids! Use your imagination! (Polar Bear Approved)
Review: Beyond the humiliation of being the last person in kindergarten to learn to tie their shoes (hey, I was first for knowing my address and phone number), the part of school that I dreaded was when the teacher would tell us to tear a sheet of paper in half. The folding in half I could handle. But when I went to tear it in half, I always botched it big time every single time. Yes, it would have been nice if somebody had given me a hint about using a ruler to at least get one half right, but it is too late, baby, now it's too late. Then there were those times when somebody would try to talk us through doing the steps of creating origami, and I would mess that up too. So the thought of doing anything creative with a piece of paper besides drawing something or putting words on it has always been beyond me.

Consequently, I view "The Toymaker: Paper Toys That You Can Make Yourself" to be an opportunity to correct a major failing of my childhood, although the stated point of these toys is for grownups and children to spend time together making things. All I have to do is follow the instructions and have the good pair of scissors with me when I am cutting out everything. There is some serious cutting involved here to be sure, because sometimes you need to cut out window openings (e.g., The Tooth Fairy Gazebo, A Window to Fairyland). There is a Victorian feel to most of these paper toys, or maybe Edwardian. The main thing is that they have a sort of 19th century charm to them and if parents and children are inspired by this book to check out what toys were like in what most of us still continue to think of as being the last century, so much the better.

Be aware that when you give this book as a gift or bring it home ready to have fun that in addition to the aforementioned good pair of scissors you will need glue for most of these. There is also one for which you will need string (Spinners, a.k.a. Thaumatropes or Turning Wonders, as seen in the movie "Sleepy Hollow"), another requires a big marble (Marble Mice), and a couple require coins and tape (An Aeroplane and the Penny Butterfly). But most of these folding paper toys that you can make yourself are boxes of some sort (e.g., A Bug Box, Florimel the Magnificent, A Dream Theater). You do not want to get all excited about getting to work and then race around the house looking in vain for glue...

Final Note: The back cover, in addition to providing a table of contents for the fourteen imaginative folding paper toys contained within this charming book, has a sign that the book is "Polar Bear Approved." However, while there is indeed a polar bear or two to cut out and play with, the official icon for these toys is a griffin with the motto "To Amuse and Delight" (replicated below in German, "Adrideri Et Oblectare").

Rating:
Summary: Awwwwwwwwwesome
Review: I had the pleasure of meeting Marilyn at this summer's SanDiego comic convention where she happened to have this book for sale. I have to say that it's one of the best tools I've seen in a long while to connect and do something fun and creative with kids.

I've got a couple of nieces waiting for me to cut some stuff up with them.

I can't wait.

Thanks for the book and the passion Marilyn.

Steph

Rating:
Summary: Simply wonderful! EXCELLENT holiday gift idea!
Review: I was lucky enough to recieve a copy of this treasure of a book early on and I have to say it's just the most wonderful idea and so beautifully executed. I can't wait to order a few more! This is something to be shared...in fact that's the whole point! It's quick, easy and relatively inexpensive fun to share with kids (young OR old kids). I have lots of nieces and nephews, I need another copy or two so they can all have their favorites. I have a very "crafty" friend (don't we all) who will LOVE sitting down to make these paper wonders with her little girl. And honestly, I want a copy to keep intact to preserve the wonderful artwork.

Rating:
Summary: Paper Toys
Review: This book, itself is a handsome collection of activities for the whole family.A beautifully illustrated book. The soft, jewel-toned colors are warm and evocative with a few brightly colored activities to delight everyone. What a delightful addition to anyone's library.

Rating:
Summary: Delightful book for both children and adults
Review: This marvelous book has much to offer both kids & adults. Scott-Waters' illustrations, beginning with the intricately drawn, fairy-tale inspired cover, invite the viewer into a world of story, myth, friendly animals, and imagination. Her beautifully illustrated paper toys, cards and small gifts are a charming way to spend an afternoon with your children or to say "I care" to someone special.

All of the pieces are enchantingly drawn, usually with an abundance of intricate detail, and Scott-Waters' use of color and shading is delightful. Cutting out and assembling these beautiful toys is one of the most pleasant, calming and restorative experiences I've had recently.

The back cover shows photos of the finished, assembled item, so the viewer can easily see what the finished piece will look like in three dimensions.

This book is a wonderful diversion for adults and kids. Try it and enjoy!