A few months ago I was at a conference in Washington, D.C., and saw another family enjoying brunch on a weekend morning. Tucked into the folds of their stroller canopy I saw a familiar spiral binding peeking out. To which I knowingly questioned, “Is that a Pinhole Press book?” The surprised mother, looked up, slightly confused, then enthusiastically said, “Yes, yes it is!”.
Since becoming a parent I often look for those little moments. Making connections with strangers, usually parents with small children too, and somehow acknowledging that Hey, we’re on the same team.
I knew that spiral binding because we’ve had one, then two, and now three in our home for the past four years. They are compact but easily manipulated by a small child. They hold memories in glossy coated pages and are virtually indestructible. We LOVE them.
Since making a Daddy and Daughter book, followed by a Sisters book, I thought it would be fun to storyboard our summer vacation this year. And sure enough, it took less than 15 minutes to make and order; within a week the book was in our hands.
The wonderful thing about the storyboard format, which is slightly different from the two previous spiral books we’ve created, is that it allows you to input a sentence about the image. Thus creating brief journal-like entries of a moment in time. Think of it as scrapbooking minus all the supplies. This format enabled me to highlight the things I want my kids to remember, which is especially helpful since both my girls are still young.
Plus, each story board book comes with a small imprint on the back cover, noting the month and year the book was created. In short, I love how our story board book provides a tangible way for us to relive family adventures, even if we can’t remember every exact detail. Who knows, in a couple of years, maybe I’ll have my girls dictate to me what sayings and phrases we’ll include in our annual summer vacation book.
About the Author
Miranda Rosbach is our resident book expert, as a librarian turned children’s book reviewer and stay-at-home-mama. In her spare time, she likes scouting new restaurants and colorful murals. She lives in St. Louis with her husband and two daughters. You can visit her Instagram page, @bookbloom, to learn more.