Review Detail

This origami instruction manual also includes paper printed with designs for each of the instructions. That way, crafty Harry Potter enthusiasts cannot just make a Ravenclaw Raven or House-Elf out of plain paper, but will end up with a glossy, colorful design based off of movie characters and props. Some of these are very elaborate, like the Hogwarts crest, which uses several pieces of paper joined together. A few do require cutting the paper, but most do not venture into kirigami.

I have to admit that I didn't try to make any of these myself, but I did look at the instructions, which seem fairly clear. The book starts with an overview of the different types of symbols, folds, and ways to turn the papers, and the instructions use these. It would be a good idea to start the designs with plain paper and practice the folds before using the glossy paper. My students are big fans of origami, but their designs rarely come out exactly right the first time, and once the glossy paper is creased, it won't look quite as nice if mistakes are made.