Paperback pets will guard your page from read to read

What You Will Need

• Coloured felt, construction paper, scrapbook paper
• Scissors
• Tacky glue
• Magnets
• Decorations – googly eyes, tiny pompoms, fabric or acrylic paint, markers, stickers, sequins etc.

Envelopes, grocery coupons, tissues … In a pinch, any one of these things can stand in for a bookmark. But envelopes fall out pretty easily, coupons get cashed in and the tissue that’s been saving your spot so far is bound to end up in a ball, wet with tears shed during that really sad chapter. Now, you’re left without a bookmark.

Don’t worry. This week you can build a better bookmark. Take it from me. I actually have a lion guarding my page. It’s true, I’m not lyin’.

These paperback pets or bookmark buddies are simple to make. They’ll be especially popular with the children, but are ideal for readers of any age.

With sheets of felt or construction paper, a bit of glue and some magnets, you can craft lions, tigers, dogs, cats, aliens, dinosaurs, insects and other creatures to keep track of your page from read to read. Here’s how:

• Before you begin cutting the felt or construction paper, take a moment to visualize a cat or dog stretched out on the floor. The front paws and head are at one end and the back legs and tail are at the other. The long body is in between. This is the shape you will cut from the felt or construction paper. The photo marked Step 1 will give you the idea. Note: if you would like a very thin bookmark, use construction paper. If you want a bookmark that will last a long time, make it from felt.
• When the body is cut out, it’s time to decorate. First, decide what animal or creature you’re making. Next, cut pieces of felt or construction paper that will make the bookmark look like your chosen creature. For example, for my lion, I cut out a shaggy brown mane, a tuft for the tail and two light brown ears. I also used two small googly eyes, a tiny pompom for a nose and black dimensional fabric paint to draw a mouth and claws. You can use all kinds of things to decorate your bookmark – stickers, sequins, fabric paint (felt), acrylic paint (construction paper), tiny pompoms etc. Keep in mind, however, you don’t want the bookmark to be too thick.
• When all the pieces are cut out, use tacky glue to stick them to the body. Give the glue and any paint you have used time to dry.
   When the glue and paint is dry, flip the bookmark over. At the head, glue a small, thin magnet. Do the same at the tail. Be sure that the magnets attract, rather than repel, each other before gluing them in place.
• It’s time to put your bookmark buddy to work. Fold the bookmark in half over the page you want to mark. The head will be on one side of the page and the tail on the other. The magnet will keep the paperback pet in place.