Pop-Up Perfection
Star Wars: A Pop-Up Guide to the Galaxy by Matthew Reinhart
Orchard Books $33
When a preview copy of Star Wars: A Pop-Up Guide to the Galaxy
arrived at our house, I can’t even express how wickedly cool we all
thought it was. Much like families of yesteryear gathered around
the radio for their favorite program, ours gathered around the
book to ooh and aah with abandon.
Even the Tweener loved it, and he doesn’t think anything is cool.
The 5-year-old asked to see it again for a bedtime story, and
complained that it was too short once my wife was done opening
the more than 35 pop-ups.
We’re big fans of pop-up books around here, and this one is in
a class all its own. The detail is simply stunning, with a level of
intricacy I’ve never seen before. Think pop-ups on top of pop-ups,
and when we opened the last page and Luke and Vader’s light-sabers actually lit up, well, let’s just call it a slam dunk for some
geeky family entertainment. —Bruce Stewart
Maker Math
Practical Math Application Guide by Norman Chenier
Chenier Enterprises $20
OK, so this may not seem like a great holiday gift, but trust me, it is.
The math taught in this practical guide is the kind I wish they’d
taught me in high school. Each section uses real-world situations
(with a homebuilding bent) to illustrate different math principles,
so you simultaneously learn trigonometry and how to lay out
stairs, geometry and how to level with a plumb bob.
It has worksheets to practice what you’ve learned as well as
“trade tricks” for DIYers that you wouldn’t find in a math textbook.
Many makers know this stuff intuitively already, but if you’re new
at this kind of thing, the book is a great resource. By the end, you’ll
know how to deal with unequal roof pitches, but you might just be
a bit more of a math geek, too. —AO’R
One-Stop Book Shop
Prices vary
lulu.com
Lulu is a print-on-demand system that you can use to make, publish, and sell your own books. I used
it to create a book for my nieces and nephew, and was really happy with the results. The process is
pretty easy: download their templates, add your content, upload the templates, choose your book
printing and cover options. Once you’re finished, the books are available on demand, much like
Café Press T-shirts. It takes a while for the books to print and ship, so if you need your books by
a certain date, plan ahead! (For more self-publishing options, see “Book Yourself,” page 53)
— Terrie Miller
Make: 171
