MAKING A BIG BOOK Continuing challenge to strive for excellence . . .

Purpose of Big Books Big Books provide learners with an opportunity to participate in the reading experience as a group, in a relaxed, informal, and non-threatening way. Big Books provide learners with an immediate opportunity to experience reading (because they read with the facilitator and each other)

Purpose of Big Books Learners are able to see that reading is meaningful and enjoyable. Adult learners are encouraged to discuss the topic of the Big Book, talk about what they see in the pictures, read and discuss the text together, and then use the story to think about their own life situations.

Characteristics of Big Books They are BIG! The illustrations are large, clear, uncluttered, and interesting. They help the learners understand what is said in the text. The print is large and easily readable at a distance of 5 meters.

Characteristics of Big Books The story is about a topic that is very interesting to the learners. The type of story is familiar and acceptable to the readers The language is natural, predictable, memorable and interesting.

Characteristics of Big Books If the book is for new readers, key terms and/or phrases are repeated several times through the story. If the book is for adults, it is about a topic that is interesting to them. The Big Book does not introduce new information about a topic but it can introduce the topic in the story (for example, a story about someone with AIDS). New information can then be presented orally and discussed after the Big Book story is read together.

Writing a Big book Story Identify the intended audience. Think about a story that will be interesting to them. If the story is for adults, think about a story that will introduce a topic that is important to them. Make a rough outline of the story. How many pages will the story be? Write the story page by page (Page 1…, Page 2. …, tec.) Check what you have written. Make sure that the text for each page is a complete unit. Make sure that the text on each page can be pictured. Think of a picture for each page. The picture should show what is happening on that page. Write your ideas for the picture that you want

Editing the Big Book Story Edit the story yourself (self-editing). Make sure you are completely satisfied with the topic, with the way the story is written and with the spelling and grammar. Rewrite the story, page-by-page, making any changes that you think are needed. Leave plenty of space between the lines. Ask someone else to edit the story. Talk with the editor about the changes she/he suggests. Re-write the story , page-by-page, making any changes you and the editor agree should be made. Make sure this draft says exactly what you want to say in the Big Book. Make sure there are no mistakes.

Putting the text and pictures on the Big Book pages Decide if you will put the text on one page and picture on the facing page OR if you will put both text and picture on the same page. (Most people choose to put the picture and text on different pages so that both picture and text will be large and easy to see, even from a distance.)

Putting the text and pictures on the Big Book pages Use a guide sheet to write the text in pencil on one sheet of large (A-3) paper. Keep good margins on all sides of the page, especially on the side that will be fastened to make the book. Leave at least 3 cms at the bottom of the page so there is room for the page

PREPARING FOR PUBLICATION Components to consider in planning to print or produce L I reading materials COVER Title of the book A picture that relates to the title of the book Author’s name Type of book (e.g., Stage one, Stage two) Name of the language

Number of copies printed Publisher or sponsoring agency Information page (on the back of front cover) Number of copies printed Publisher or sponsoring agency Other information about the language Title page (first page of the book) title author Illustrator language date printed number of copies

May be tall and narrow or short and wide Book size and shape May be tall and narrow or short and wide May be A-3, A-4, ½ A-4, or ¼ A-4 size Binding Margins Plenty of space between the picture or text and the margins. Side-stapled books need a larger left margin than center-stapled books.

Keep at bottom of the page and in the center. Page Numbers Keep at bottom of the page and in the center. Keep clearly separated from the text. Illustrations Think about size and place on the page Think about purpose Translations Translate each page of the text and put the translation at the end of the book.

Hand written or typed (typewriter or computer)- Letters/fonts Size and shape Hand written or typed (typewriter or computer)- By hand: write neatly and carefully REMEMBER: You will be taping pages together so you need to leave at least 1 cm. of space for the tape. When you have written the text for all the pages in pencil, ask someone else to read through the entire story with you slowly, page by page.

Make sure there are no mistakes Make sure there are no mistakes. When you are sure everything on each page is written correctly, go over the text carefully with a black marker. When the marker is dry, erase all the pencil marks. REMEMBER: Be sure you put newspaper or other old paper under the page as you write with the marker. The ink from the marker will bleed through the page onto whatever is underneath the page. When the ink is dry, erase all the pencil marks.

Big Book pictures Draw a LARGE picture in pencil for each page of text. Keep the picture simple. Make sure that the picture focuses on the people and other things in the text for the page. (The new readers should be able to use the picture to help them understand the text for that page.) Use the guide sheet to help you identify the margins on the picture page but do not draw a box around the picture.

When you are satisfied that the picture is complete and that it clearly shows what is happening in the text for that page, go over the picture with a black marker. (Use a thick marker so that the picture can be seen clearly from a distance.) When the ink is dry, erase all the pencil marks. Then use crayons to color the picture.

The title page should include - name of the book Big Book title page and cover Use a guide sheet to make the title page (the first page after the cover) The title page should include - name of the book - name of the author(s) - name of the illustrator(s) - name of the language used in the book. Think of a title for the book. The title should be clearly connected to the story. It should be short and interesting.

Make a cover for the book Make a cover for the book. Use a piece of paper that is the same size as the pages of the book. If you have an especially good picture from the book, you can copy that and use it for the cover. Make sure the picture you chose is clearly connected to the title. Put the title in large letters in pencil on top of the picture. Put the name of the language under the picture (if it is different from the national language). If there is space, put the name(s) of the author(s).

Cut out two pieces of cardboard for the cover Cut out two pieces of cardboard for the cover. The 2 pieces should be about 1 ½ cms.bigger than the pages on all sides. Place the cover page in the center of one piece of cardboard. Leave extra space on the left for the binding. Use wide masking tape to tape the cover page to the cardboard. The tape should be wide enough so that you can also tape around all for sides of the cardboard. Also tape around all four sides of the cardboard you will use for the back cover. (This will help keep the covers from being damaged through use.)

If you want to, you can also make an “Inside Cover Page” to tape on the inside of the cardboard front cover (do NOT make it an extra page). Use the guide sheet to help you write neatly and to help you remember the margins. Write these things on the Inside Cover Page: Place where the book was written (name of workshop) Date the book was made Name of the sponsoring organization Other information you think should be included

Page 2 is the first text page. Page 3 is the first picture page. Numbering and taping the pages Put the pages of the book in order, starting with the title page, then the text and picture pages, until you have all the text and picture pages in order. When you are sure all the pages are in order, count the total number of pages, starting with the title page. Write the number of each page in pencil, about 3 cms.from the bottom of the page. Page 1 is the title page. Page 2 is the first text page. Page 3 is the first picture page. Page 4 is the second text page. Page 6 is the second picture page, etc.

Number each page of the Big book like that. When all the pages are numbered, tape the pages together, back-to-back. Use 1” masking tape to tape around the edges of the back-to-back pages on all 4 sides. IF TEXT AND PICTURES ARE ON SEPARATE PAGES, DO THAT TAPING LIKE THIS: Tape page 1 (third page) to the back of page 2 (first text page) Tape page 3 (first picture page) to the back of page 4 (second text page). Do all the pages like that, except for the last picture page. Tape a blank sheet of paper to the back of the last picture.

IF TEXT AND PICTURES ARE ON THE SAME PAGE, DO THE TAPING LIKE THIS: Tape a blank sheet of paper to the back of the title page Tape a blank sheet of paper to the back of each text/picture page. (so the back of each text/picture page will be blank) Count the number of double (taped) pages, (including the title page and the blank pages).

You must have an even number of double pages that can be divided by 4 (for example 8, 12, 16, 20, 24 etc.) If you do not have a number of pages that can be divided by 4, tape enough blank sheets together and put them after the last double page of the story so that you have a number that can be divided by 4. For example, if the total number of pages of your story is 18, you will need to take 2 blank sheets together so you have a total of 20 pages. Check that all you pages are numbered in pencil, even the extra blank pages that you needed to make an even number.

Making a guide book Make a “guide book” to show you how to tape the double pages together. You can use ½ or ¼ sheets of paper to make the guide book. If the Big Book has a total of 16 pages, you will need 4 small sheets of paper for your guide book. If the Big Book has a total of 20 pages, you will need 5 small sheets of paper. If the Big Book has 24 pages, you will need 6 small sheets of paper, etc. When you have a correct number of small sheets of paper, lay them on top of one another. Fold them over so they look like a very small book.

Making a guide book Write “TITLE PAGE, # 1” on the first “page” of the guide book – the outside part of the top folded sheet of paper. Open to the second “page” of the guide book (the inside of the “Page #1, title page). Write PAGE 2 on this page. Write PAGE 3 on the next page. Go through the entirebook like that. When you finish your guide book should have the same number of pages as your Big Book. Keep the guide book in front of you as you prepare to do the binding for the Big Book. You will need it to help you make sure the Big book pages are in order.

Preparing to bind the Big Book Check again to see that the Big Book pages are in order. Check that they are facing the right direction. Divide the total number of double pages in half and lay them side by side on your work space (For example: for a 16-page book, place pages 1-8 on the left; place pages 9-16 on the right). Find the two middle pages of the guide book. Then find the two middle Big Book pages. (For example: for a 16-page book, this would be pages 8 and 9.) the two middle pages of the guide book and the Big Book shaould be exactly the same. If they are not the same, do not go further until you have learned why they are different and fixed the problem.

Preparing to bind the Big Book Lay the two middle pages side-by-side on the workspace. For a 16-page book this would be double (taped) pages 7-8 on the left and double pages 9-10 on the right. Leave a very narrow space between the first set of two double pages – just wide enough to pull the binding string through the space. Use strong tape to bind the middle pages together. (2 layers of masking tape with 1 layer of cloth tape between them). The tape needs to be strong because you will pull string or rope through this tape to bind the book together.

Preparing to bind the Big Book Lay the next two double pages next to each other. For a 16-page book this will be double pages 5-6 on the left and double pages 11-12 on the right. BEFORE YOU START TAPING, check carefully that this second set of pages are in correct order. Put middle pages you just finished taping on the work space and place the next set of double pages that you are about to tape under the first set. Be sure that all pages (5 & 6, 7 & 8, 9 & 10, 11 & 12) are in correct order before you start taping pages together.

Preparing to bind the Big Book Leave just a bit more space between the second set of double pages than you left between the first set. Again, use 3 layers of tape (2 of masking tape), 1 of cloth tape) to tape the double pages together. Do the same with the rest of the double pages. BEFORE YOU START TAPING EACH SET OF PAGES, be sure that you check that the pages are in correct order. Each time you tape, leave a tiny bit more space between each set of pages. When you finish taping all double pages together, lay the sets on top of each other so that the 2 inside pages of the book are on top. Fold the pages over so the title page is the first page. Now go through the book to check that all the pages are in correct order.

Binding the Big Book Tape the two pieces of cardboard together to make the cover. Again, leave just a bit more space between the cover than you did between the last set of double pages. Make the binding for the covers extra strong, using 2 strips of cloth tape first and then 2 strips of masking tape. Open the cover and lay it on the workspace. On top of the cover lay the sets of double pages so the 2 inside pages are on top and the front and back cover are on the bottom.

Binding the Big Book Make sure that the pages and cover are well aligned (that is, that the centers of each set of pages are right on top of one another.) Keeping all the pages and cover together, pound 4 small holes through the binding tape of all the pages and the cover. Make sure the holes go right through the center of the tape that binds each set of pages together. With all the pages and cover together, it will be hard to make the hole but it can be done with a hammer and large nail or an awl. (strong metal tool with a sharp end).

You have now created a Big Book! Binding the Big Book Pull a long strong piece of cloth or plastic string, twine, or rope through the holes. It is good if you can go through the holes at least 2-times each to make the binding extra strong. Pull the string very tight. Then tie it securely on the outside and cut the extra string off as close to the page as possible. Put a strip of cloth tape over the binding on the outside, making sure the tie is well covereds. You have now created a Big Book! Enjoy! Ltberse 2010