Building a Family Library (continued)

Cinder block bookshelves. You can buy cinder blocks or decorative bricks and particle-board shelves at your local hardware store. Set down two or three blocks and lay a shelf across them, making sure the structure is sturdy and childproof. Don't make the shelves higher than your child.

Crate bookcases. These are perfect for storing children's books that vary in size. Plastic crates are available in most department stores, or you can ask your local produce manager for a sturdy wooden one. If you like, give your child supplies to paint or decorate the crate.

Desktop bookstand. Find a small, sturdy rectangular cardboard box. Cut off and discard two of the long, connecting sides, but leave the short end panels intact. Set the box on a desk or table and stand a row of books inside. Kids can decorate the end panels which support the books on either side.

Magazine storage box. Some families save magazines so they can refer back to recipes or the directions for do-it-yourself projects. Kids may want to save magazines to cut up for art projects or schoolwork. You can make a simple storage file out of an empty clothes detergent box. On both sides of the box, cut on an angle from the top corner down to about two inches above the opposite bottom corner. The box is ready to be decorated"with wrapping papers, stickers, cutouts...whatever. Fill the box with magazines and add it to your bookshelf.

Beanbag bookends. Cut two same-size square pieces of sturdy cloth, such as denim or corduroy. With right sides together, sew the pieces on three and a half sides. Turn inside out and fill with navy beans. Stitch the opening closed.  Make a second one and use the pair as bookends for small, lightweight books such as paperbacks or board books. (If you don't like to sew, instead fill a pair of socks with beans, then knot the openings or tie them closed with a ribbon.  Make sure the socks are securely tied.)

Family card catalog. Here's a project for the family that loves record-keeping. Set up a file box with index cards and dividers. Label the dividers according to the types of books your children like to read, such as mysteries, joke books, poetry, and historical fiction. Encourage your children to fill out a card for every book they read and enjoy, giving such information as title, author, where the book was obtained, and a few brief comments. They might want to give the book a rating of, say, two, three, or four stars.

Homemade books. Most children enjoy preserving their original stories, poems, and drawings in homemade books. They can write in blank books or notebooks, or they can assemble loose pages using binders, staples, or ribbons woven through margin holes. Homemade books go right on the shelf with other treasured books. They also make nice gifts for someone else™s library.

Family albums. Some families might enjoy compiling notebooks of interesting magazine articles on travel, hobbies, or sports. The family photo album makes a great addition to your library, especially for younger children. Older children might enjoy writing captions for the photographs.