The task seems so simple – just print the pages on the printer, stack the pages, and fold them down the middle. But after doing that, the page numbers are out of order. It's time to end the frustration. Choose from the following layouts to create the pages on a home computer, and then print the pages lickety-split, turn them over and print the backs, put the pages together in the right order, fold, and parents will have a little book for a child, made out of cardstock or regular paper, ready for the child to color and take to school. Older children can use these layouts to make their own books, and even add computer clip-art to the pages.
Basic Two-Sheet Book Layout
To avoid confusion, the 8.5 x 11 page area on the computer screen will be called a Screen Page, capitalized. Each page of the child's book will be referred to as a book page or page, non-capitalized. On every Screen Page, two 8x5 book pages side by side will appear. This article assumes the reader knows how to insert column breaks and clip-art into documents.
Format the blank Screen Page in the word processor to two columns. The first Screen Page will have the back page of the book on the left column and the front cover on the right. The second Screen Page on the computer will show book page 4 on the left column and page 1 on the right. This two-sheet book layout will only need two physical pieces of 8.5 x 11 paper or cardstock. However, because of double-sided printing, two additional Screen Pages will need to be created on the word processor.
The third Screen Page will have the inside cover on the left and book page 5 on the right. This Screen Page will be printed on the reverse side of Screen Page #1. The fourth Screen Page will have book page 2 on the left and book page 3 on the right. This Screen Page will be printed on the reverse side of Screen Page #2. Because some printers are set to print out the Screen Pages in ascending numerical order and other printers print in descending order, when the time comes to print the reverse sides, care must be taken to get it right. More on that later.
To make it easy, let B stand for "back cover", let F stand for "front cover", and let N stand for "inside cover". Usually there is no printing on the inside cover except for "This book belongs to __________." On the computer's word processor, the order of the book pages should appear on the Screen Pages in the following pattern:
- B F
- 4 1
- N 5
- 2 3
Printing to the Printer
With any number of Screen Pages, it is best to print just the first half of the Screen Pages, stop, and then make sure those are placed back into the printer's paper tray so that the next Screen Pages will be printed on the correct reverse sides. For example, in the Basic Two-Sheet Layout, print Screen Page #1 and Screen Page #2, then stop. Remove them from the printer and arrange them so that Screen Page #3 will be printed on the back of Screen Page #1 and Screen Page #4 will be printed on the back of Screen Page #2. Do not cut the book pages apart! Stack the Screen Pages with front sides up, and then fold the whole stack down the middle. Stitch or staple the child's book along the fold, and the child's book is ready to read, or color, or write on.
Basic Three-Sheet Book Layout
The order of the book pages should appear on the Screen Pages in the following pattern:
- B F
- 8 1
- 6 3
- N 9
- 2 7
- 4 5
Basic Four-Sheet Book Layout
The order of the book pages should appear on the Screen Pages in the following pattern:
- B F
- 12 1
- 10 3
- 8 5
- N 13
- 2 11
- 4 9
- 6 7
Any more sheets than four, and the reader might be better off using a publishing program instead of an ordinary word processing program. The fun in making books this way is that children can customize their books and draw on the pages, or some words in the story can be left out for word strips to be taped in place of the missing word for a hilarious game of Silly Story. Best of all, activities such as these encourage children (and adults!) to read and write creatively.
 |
