The first three chapters describe the basics of hand papermaking. Through the use of photographs and text, the author describes tools and materials that can be purchased, found, or recycled. For example, Smith gives explicit instructions on how to make six different molds, the screen-covered frames on which paper is formed, from found objects such as an old wooden picture frame, duct tape and aluminum screen, needlepoint canvas, or an embroidery hoop. The author appropriately stresses that no matter what tools and materials are available in the classroom, students should learn the papermaking process using common, easily found objects so they have the option of making paper at home. Smith's practical, tried, and tested classroom experiences shine throughout the book. For example, she underscores the importance of labeling materials:

Labeling reinforces the new vocabulary words that you hope students will learn and results in fewer mistakes. On the deckle, I write "deckle." On the top of the mold, I write "mold" and "put deckle on this side of mold." For non-readers, you can use a symbol, such as a smiley face, (p.8).

The chapter on sheetforming provides directions in eleven steps that are easily understood by both teacher and students. Throughout the book, photographs and diagrams accompany the text to help eliminate guesswork. Smith even provides a diagram showing a sample classroom set-up that may facilitate student movements as they move through the steps of the papermaking process.

The subsequent chapters complement the basics, including topics such as using pulp as an art medium (such as the techniques of embossing and embedding), an annotated bibliography, and a list of resources and suppliers. One of the most interesting chapters deals with how to integrate hand papermaking into various curriculum areas connecting it creatively with language arts, history, science, and mathematics. For example, in the history section, one might typically expect to find a timeline and description of the history of hand papermaking, but Smith goes beyond this. She provides the history in the form of a story that the teacher can read aloud to students, complete with photographs and pictures that younger children can color.

The chapter on the science of papermaking includes a question and answer section that thoroughly and clearly explains questions like, "How do fibers come together to make a piece of paper?" The answer includes an explanation of water molecules, the importance of their shape and how their bonding effect is analogous to a water spider that can walk on the surface of a pond without going under (pp. 98-100).

Teaching Hand Papermaking is a first-rate resource book for teachers, students, parents, or anyone else who may want to learn about hand papermaking. I.H.

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