Make Paper Folding Your Superpower With ‘DC Super Heroes Origami’

Books GeekMom

There’s something a little bit magical about turning a piece of paper into a crane, bear, or dragon through the practice of origami. But turning a piece of paper into Batman? That’s being a flat-out origami superhero. Thanks to John Montroll, origami master and author of DC Super Heroes Origami, you and your kids will be making super origami versions of Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and more in no time.

© Capstone
© Capstone

Something about origami tends to catch the attention of geek kids—at least it did for young me. DC Super Heroes Origami brought back memories of studying instructions and trying my best to get a fold straight and crisp. The step-by-step walkthroughs come with a handy guide to the symbols for the illustrations, but you might have to help kids younger than 10 years old with some of the folds if the diagram proves puzzling.

Montroll’s instructions are so clear, however, that you might not need to come to your paper folder’s rescue often. Projects are labeled with its difficulty, which is handy for choosing which one to start working on. When the project is labeled three stars, it’s a doozy.

Not all of my attempts ended up successful. Photo: Kelly Knox
Not all of my attempts ended up successfully. Photo: Kelly Knox

I remember getting stuck often as a kid, so I’m telling myself this is common for origami amateurs like myself. The many projects that did come out right, however, were immediately “oooh” and “ahhh”ed over before being claimed by my 6-year-old.

Photo: Kelly Knox
Photo: Kelly Knox

With the projects in the book, you can make a paper Batarang, Green Lantern’s lantern, Wonder Woman’s tiara, Clark Kent’s glasses, and many, many more items familiar to fans of the DC universe. Even more fun for super hero geeks, each project is accompanied by a little bit of comic lore about the hero or item.

The book is also packed with illustrated origami paper large enough for beginner hands to fold without fumbling. The only frustrating part is gently pulling the paper from the perforation without ripping it, which makes those crisp corners impossible. (Tip: Look at the illustrated paper on the edge of the page, in the gutter, to easily find the corresponding project.)

Every part of DC Super Heroes Origami feels thoughtfully well-planned for folders of all levels, and the projects practically beg to be made time and time again. And at just $14.95 for a suggested retail price, the book feels like a good value as well.

GeekMom received a promotional copy for review purposes.

Top image courtesy Capstone Young Readers. 

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