How to Wrap a Book With a Paper Bag

Protect your books from wear and tear.

You may remember creating paper bag book covers for your school books. Teachers have been instructing students on how to do this for generations. Paper bag book covers are great for keeping your books in good condition. They also allow room for creativity as their blank canvas is easy to decorate with stickers, markers, glitter and any thing else you can imagine. Why purchase a book cover at a school supply store when you can make your own by recycling a paper bag? All you need is a few supplies and you're ready to go.

Things You'll Need

• Paper bag
• Tape
• Decorative items

Instructions

1. 

   Expand your choices with different colored bags.

   Choose a large paper shopping bag. You may want to use one that is completely blank and will be easy to decorate or you could use one that is a certain color or already has a print on it that you like.

2. Cut open your bag along the folded lines. You will begin by cutting down the length of one of the sides and then cutting all along the base. If there are handles on your paper bag, you should remove them. Completely cut out the rectangular base and lay your paper out flat on the ground so that it is one big rectangle.

3. Place your book in the center of the paper. Leaving about 2 inches of paper all around the book. Cut off any excess paper. Your book should now be sitting on a piece of paper that is the same shape of it, but slightly larger.

4. Fold the paper at the top and the bottom, so that the folds line up with the top and the bottom of the book. The over hanging fold of the paper should be touching the book instead of showing on the outside.

5. Open your book and fold in the remaining two sides of the paper over the front and back cover. Make a sharp fold across all edges of the book cover. Slide the front and back covers of the book into the sleeves of the paper cover. Place a piece of tape along the sides of the paper cover so that all sides are reinforced.

6. 

   Personalize your book cover with stickers, colored paper and more.

   Decorate your book cover using anything you can imagine. Parents Connect recommends using rhinestones, fabric scraps, photos, ribbon, stickers, stamps and decorative paper.

References

• Parents Connect: Make Book Covers for Kids

Resources

• Artists Helping Children: Book Cover Arts