My First Picture Book

I collected a few used cardboard boxes. I would take those boxes from a sundry shop near my house. I had a project in mind. I wanted to make a picture book for Nadiah, my first born. Nadiah was about two years then. I thought a self made picture book would be an interesting craft to do. Besides that Nadiah would learn objects from the picture book. Together both Nadiah and me browsed through magazines cutting pictures for our craft. We picked pictures that are simple which Nadiah can easily identify. The boxes were cut into pieces of approximately nine inches on each side, making almost perfect squares. The cut pieces were then wrapped with brown papers. Once wrapped they were ready to have the cut pictures pasted onto. Nadiah helped with her deft fingers. Of course I did most of the job with her making all the mess. We managed to paste the pictures on both sides of ten pieces of squares. The almost done self made picture book were bound together. Using a thick needle and embroidery thread I sewed the pieces together. My daughter watched attentively. She shrieked with delight once she realized that her picture book was completed. Well almost completed, holding a red crayon in her hands I guided her to write on the front page 'My first Picture Book'. When Nadiah could write she wrote her name on the cover. Later, much later, when Nasihah, my third daughter learned to write, she canceled her older sister's name and wrote her name. The picture book is still with us and holds its place proudly among the many books that we have collected along the years.