Paper Boats

In the year 2000, as Matthew Reinhart was completing his second pop-up book, Pop-Up Book Of Nightmares, he was asked by Melcher Media to do some paper engineering experiments with a new plastic paper. Melcher Media is book production firm or packager and acts as a small publishing house imprint to develop new books in a variety of formats. Once the book is developed they bring it to various publishers who will then take on the product and get it to the bookshelves.

Taking advantage of the obvious properties of the plastic paper, Reinhart was able to create a few early models of boat hulls before moving onto new projects. Just think of it – paper boats in dazzling colors and shapes that can have a lifetime of action on both bathtubs and backyard ponds.

The book found new life under paper engineer Willy Bullocks (credited for the design of the excellent Max's Machines Pop-up Book) and the final result was released in 2001.

The Amazing Book Of Paper Boats 18 different boat patterns printed on waterproof paper for the viewer to cut, “fold and float”. The book also provides some history to the boat designs as well as explicit directions for constructing your watercrafts. Since I just received my copy this week, I have yet to test the buoyancy of the designs but I can always start with the ‘Ocean Liner’ which bears a resemblance to the Titanic so if I spring a leak it will look planned.

- Kyle