PORTFOLIO
Traditional printing. On-demand printing. Hand binding. Digital story. We offer all these options. And if you want to display one or more copies uniquely, we can transform your book into “book art.”
PORTFOLIO
Traditional printing. On-demand printing. Hand binding. Digital story. We offer all these options. And if you want to display one or more copies uniquely, we can transform your book into “book art.”
PORTFOLIO
Traditional printing. On-demand printing. Hand binding. Digital story. We offer all these options. And if you want to display one or more copies uniquely, we can transform your book into “book art.”
PORTFOLIO
Traditional printing. On-demand printing. Hand binding. Digital story. We offer all these options. And if you want to display one or more copies uniquely, we can transform your book into “book art.”
PORTFOLIO
Traditional printing. On-demand printing. Hand binding. Digital story. We offer all these options. And if you want to display one or more copies uniquely, we can transform your book into “book art.”
BECAUSE WE CAN bind books by hand, we are not limited to traditional book sizes, shapes, or bindings. We listen carefully for themes or interests that can be put into visual form so that the end product is not only personal, but is also unique to you.
BECAUSE WE CAN bind books by hand, we are not limited to traditional book sizes, shapes, or bindings. We listen carefully for themes or interests that can be put into visual form so that the end product is not only personal, but is also unique to you.
We keep exploring ways for books to be displayed—whether on a coffee table, or cabinet, or wall—as “book art.” Or as a digital story. Here is a sampling of some of the books we have created.
GRANDFATHER’S STORY WITH CUSTOM SLIPCASE
A gentleman commissioned us to capture his 90‑year‑old father’s story for the grandchildren and great‑grandchildren. We interviewed the grandfather, combined our transcript with stories the family had previously gathered, scanned relevant photos, and designed a visually interesting, readable book. Anecdotes range from growing up on the Canadian prairies, learning a strong work ethic, pursuing music as a youth, early business ventures, to marriage and family, and years in his very successful motor vehicle dealership. Our client chose his father’s 90th birthday party as the occasion to give copies of the book to family members. For the twelve copies of the book, we designed and created custom slipcases covered in faux leather with a gold leaf image of our client’s father as a young businessman on the front.
A grandfather's story captured for his grandchildren and great‑grandchildren
TESTIMONIAL: “Thank you for helping me capture my father’s story for his grandkids and great-grandkids. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for many years. You guided us effectively through the process. Your interview with my father (combined with the stories his wife had already written down), interwoven with many photos from his life, has formed a great retrospective of Dad’s story. The custom, gold-leafed slipcases you designed and created are beautiful and make each copy that much more special. You’ve created a book that I’m extremely proud to have for family and friends.” — R. McDonald
Sample page spreads in the book
GRANDFATHER’S STORY WITH CUSTOM SLIPCASE
A gentleman commissioned us to capture his 90‑year‑old father’s story for the grandchildren and great‑grandchildren. We interviewed the grandfather, combined our transcript with stories the family had previously gathered, scanned relevant photos, and designed a visually interesting, readable book. Anecdotes range from growing up on the Canadian prairies, learning a strong work ethic, pursuing music as a youth, early business ventures, to marriage and family, and years in his very successful motor vehicle dealership. Our client chose his father’s 90th birthday party as the occasion to give copies of the book to family members. For the twelve copies of the book, we designed and created custom slipcases covered in faux leather with a gold leaf image of our client’s father as a young businessman on the front.
A grandfather's story captured for his grandchildren and great‑grandchildren
TESTIMONIAL: “Thank you for helping me capture my father’s story for his grandkids and great-grandkids. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for many years. You guided us effectively through the process. Your interview with my father (combined with the stories his wife had already written down), interwoven with many photos from his life, has formed a great retrospective of Dad’s story. The custom, gold-leafed slipcases you designed and created are beautiful and make each copy that much more special. You’ve created a book that I’m extremely proud to have for family and friends.” — R. McDonald
Sample page spreads in the book
CORPORATE ANNIVERSARY PROJECT
The print and digital versions share stories from the first 40 years of Shapiro|Pertnoy Companies, a luxury home builder in south Florida—stories of three generations from two families working together. We wrote the story using material already printed plus interviews we conducted with the principals and employees; curated photos and gave ideas for supplemental photo shoots; designed and laid out the print and digital versions; arranged for the book to be printed and bound; and then developed a digital presentation of the story. This project includes key stories, a timeline, core values, representative client stories, separate pages for each of the company principals, stories of philanthropy/community service, and perspectives from employees. A key objective was to create a product that would distinguish Shapiro|Pertnoy from its competitors.
Page spread from company story
Page spread from representative client story
TESTIMONIAL: “I’m not sure we could have ever found a more capable, creative, easy-to-work-with group to design, write, and produce our corporate story. The process of orchestrating the various stories, players, and photos—and the ultimate production of the book—required tremendous patience, delicate people skills, and a film director’s vision of the end product. Larry and Sylvia have all these talents in spades, and they are two of the most pleasant people you will ever meet. The response to the book has been fantastic. Several folks have told me that they opened it simply to peruse it, yet couldn’t put it down and read every page.” — Steven Shapiro
Page spread with perspectives from employees
Page spread about one of the company's principals
Explore the digital version of this story
or a PDF copy of the printed book
CORPORATE ANNIVERSARY PROJECT
The print and digital versions share stories from the first 40 years of Shapiro|Pertnoy Companies, a luxury home builder in south Florida—stories of three generations from two families working together. We wrote the story using material already printed plus interviews we conducted with the principals and employees; curated photos and gave ideas for supplemental photo shoots; designed and laid out the print and digital versions; arranged for the book to be printed and bound; and then developed a digital presentation of the story. This project includes key stories, a timeline, core values, representative client stories, separate pages for each of the company principals, stories of philanthropy/community service, and perspectives from employees. A key objective was to create a product that would distinguish Shapiro|Pertnoy from its competitors.
Page spread from company story
Page spread from representative client story
TESTIMONIAL: “I’m not sure we could have ever found a more capable, creative, easy-to-work-with group to design, write, and produce our corporate story. The process of orchestrating the various stories, players, and photos—and the ultimate production of the book—required tremendous patience, delicate people skills, and a film director’s vision of the end product. Larry and Sylvia have all these talents in spades, and they are two of the most pleasant people you will ever meet. The response to the book has been fantastic. Several folks have told me that they opened it simply to peruse it, yet couldn’t put it down and read every page.” — Steven Shapiro
Page spread about one of the company's principals
Page spread with perspectives from employees
Explore the digital version that is online
or a PDF copy of the printed book
ARCHITECTURAL SLIPCASE WITH ALUMINUM PANELS
Book pulled out of architectural slipcase (book cover with brushed aluminum inset)
Book has pockets for memorabilia (e.g., birth certificate, postcards, letters, original photographs)
Photographs printed on hinged panels of brushed aluminum, housed in slipcase
Photographs printed on hinged panels of brushed aluminum, housed in slipcase
Drawer for memorabilia
Architectural slipcase viewed from above
COMPANY'S 50th ANNIVERSARY BOOK
As Western Pacific Enterprises—one of Western Canada’s leading electrical contractors—turned 50, it commissioned a record of its first five decades, with a focus on three generations of leadership from two families. Memorable projects. Notable stories. Leadership profiles. Core qualities. We wrote the text based on interviews and material already printed. Together, we chose photos that would illustrate the stories. We designed and laid out the book, and arranged for printing and binding. Since the company is now owned by MYR Group, this book will ensure that Western Pacific’s storied first 50 years will not be forgotten.
Three generations of leadership from two families
Employee-centric, family-style culture
TESTIMONIAL: “Thanks for the great job you did on this. The book looks fantastic, and will ensure that our history is not forgotten as the company continues to grow and move forward.” — Derek Fettback
Iconic projects in Western Canada
Leadership profiles
Company's core qualities
ARCHITECTURAL SLIPCASE WITH ALUMINUM PANELS
Book pulled out of architectural slipcase (book cover with brushed aluminum inset)
Book has pockets for memorabilia (e.g., birth certificate, postcards, letters, original photographs)
Photographs printed on hinged panels of brushed aluminum, housed in slipcase
Drawer for memorabilia
Architectural slipcase viewed from above
ACCORDION BOOK WITH POCKETS FOR MEMORABILIA
Accordion book with cover made of cedar shingle with clay chickadee tile inset
Pocket for original postcards mailed while grandpa and grandma were engaged to be married
THE BOOK CONTAINS “pockets” to house memorabilia like original letters from World War I, original postcards her grandparents sent to each other during their five‑year engagement, original photographs taken by her great‑grandfather, original birth certificate, and so on. Her grandfather had written three chapters of a memoir, so we included them in the first part of the book. The narrative continues with stories he told (recorded on cassette), information from articles he wrote, and the eulogy his daughter wrote, all tied together by a timeline across the top of each page.
THE BOOK CONTAINS “pockets” to house memorabilia like original letters from World War I, original postcards her grandparents sent to each other during their five‑year engagement, original photographs taken by her great‑grandfather, original birth certificate, and so on. Her grandfather had written three chapters of a memoir, so we included them in the first part of the book. The narrative continues with stories he told (recorded on cassette), information from articles he wrote, and the eulogy his daughter wrote, all tied together by a timeline across the top of each page.
Pocket for original letters from men who fought in World War I
Family tree on fold‑out page (10 generations, color coded)
Pocket for original letters from men who fought in World War I
Family tree on fold‑out page (10 generations, color coded)
The story and photos
COMPANY'S 50th ANNIVERSARY BOOK
As Western Pacific Enterprises—one of Western Canada’s leading electrical contractors—turned 50, it commissioned a record of its first five decades, with a focus on three generations of leadership from two families. Memorable projects. Notable stories. Leadership profiles. Core qualities. We wrote the text based on interviews and material already printed. Together, we chose photos that would illustrate the stories. We designed and laid out the book, and arranged for printing and binding. Since the company is now owned by MYR Group, this book will ensure that Western Pacific’s storied first 50 years will not be forgotten.
Three generations of leadership from two families
Employee-centric, family-style culture
TESTIMONIAL: “Thanks for the great job you did on this. The book looks fantastic, and will ensure that our history is not forgotten as the company continues to grow and move forward.” — Derek Fettback
Iconic projects in Western Canada
Leadership profiles
Company's core qualities
ACCORDION BOOK WITH POCKETS FOR MEMORABILIA
Accordion book with cover made of cedar shingle with clay chickadee tile inset
Pocket for original postcards mailed while grandpa and grandma were engaged to be married
THE BOOK CONTAINS “pockets” to house memorabilia like original letters from World War I, original postcards her grandparents sent to each other during their five‑year engagement, original photographs taken by her great‑grandfather, original birth certificate, and so on. Her grandfather had written three chapters of a memoir, so we included them in the first part of the book. The narrative continues with stories he told (recorded on cassette), information from articles he wrote, and the eulogy his daughter wrote, all tied together by a timeline across the top of each page.
Pocket for original letters from men who fought in World War I
Family tree on fold‑out page (10 generations, color coded)
The story and photos
HANDBOUND BOOK OF A COUPLE’S POETRY TO EACH OTHER
The husband's handbound copy has his wife's gold-leaf portrait on the cover
The wife's handbound copy has her husband's gold-leaf portrait on the cover
Spine with the book title and authors in gold leaf
TESTIMONIAL: “It is a very special experience to go through the process of putting together a memory book. In our case we made a collection of the poems that my husband and I have written to each other over the 40 years we have been with each other, and selected some lovely photos to accompany them. It was such a pleasure to work with Larry and Sylvia who, apart from being just very dear people, are capable artists with serious computer expertise. They worked hard to create the book we wanted, surprising us with some lovely visual effects and some fun juxtapositions, while at the same time keeping true to what we envisioned. They involved us in the process which meant a number of visits, and an evolution of the project that was really delightful to participate in. Today it is so nice to have the volume in our hands and look through those old memories now enriched with these new memories of making them into a book.” — K. Cowper
The book is a collection of poems the two had written to each other over forty years
HANDBOUND BOOK OF A COUPLE’S POETRY TO EACH OTHER
The husband's handbound copy has his wife's gold-leaf portrait on the cover
The wife's handbound copy has her husband's gold-leaf portrait on the cover
TESTIMONIAL: “It is a very special experience to go through the process of putting together a memory book. In our case we made a collection of the poems that my husband and I have written to each other over the 40 years we have been with each other, and selected some lovely photos to accompany them. It was such a pleasure to work with Larry and Sylvia who, apart from being just very dear people, are capable artists with serious computer expertise. They worked hard to create the book we wanted, surprising us with some lovely visual effects and some fun juxtapositions, while at the same time keeping true to what we envisioned. They involved us in the process which meant a number of visits, and an evolution of the project that was really delightful to participate in. Today it is so nice to have the volume in our hands and look through those old memories now enriched with these new memories of making them into a book.” — K. Cowper
Spine with the book title and authors in gold leaf
The book is a collection of poems the two had written to each other over forty years
SAILBOAT LOG AND PHOTOS
Sailboat Log and Photos (detail)
Sailboat Log and Photos (2 Volumes) on blue glass base
Sample page spreads from Sailboat Log and Photos
SAILBOAT LOG AND PHOTOS
Sailboat Log and Photos (detail)
Sailboat Log and Photos (2 Volumes) on blue glass base
Sailboat Log and Photos (2 Volumes) on blue glass base
Sample page spreads from Sailboat Log and Photos
BOOK OF VIGNETTES AND PHOTOS
Story (vignette) on right with photo on left
Sample page spreads in the book
Inserting the spine of the book into the plinth
Detail of one vignette with accompanying photograph
BOOK OF VIGNETTES AND PHOTOS
Story (vignette) on right with photo on left
Sample page spreads in the book
Inserting the spine of the book into the plinth
Detail of one vignette with accompanying photograph
ART BOOK OF MOUNTAIN SKETCHES AND STORIES
Page spread with mountain sketch and description
Two-page sketch in Above the Salish Sea
TESTIMONIAL: “Doing a book was a totally new experience for me, and the book’s design presented a daunting and stressful challenge. But Larry and Sylvia Adams, the talented and friendly couple who form Thumbprint Books, put me at ease with their expertise and their helpful approach. Larry’s design sense and proficiency with computer graphics meant that several layouts could be considered in a short time, and the best option chosen. I feel fortunate to have had them and their creative services readily available for this endeavour.” — D. Hamilton
Page spreads with sketches and descriptions in Above the Salish Sea
ART BOOK OF MOUNTAIN SKETCHES AND STORIES
Page spread with mountain sketch and description
Two-page sketch in Above the Salish Sea
TESTIMONIAL: “Doing a book was a totally new experience for me, and the book’s design presented a daunting and stressful challenge. But Larry and Sylvia Adams, the talented and friendly couple who form Thumbprint Books, put me at ease with their expertise and their helpful approach. Larry’s design sense and proficiency with computer graphics meant that several layouts could be considered in a short time, and the best option chosen. I feel fortunate to have had them and their creative services readily available for this endeavour.” — D. Hamilton
Page spreads with sketches and descriptions in Above the Salish Sea
Page spread with mountain sketch and description
MEMOIR WITH THREE DIFFERENT BINDINGS
Fold-out memoir in slipcase
Opening the fold-out memoir (stage 1)
Opening the fold-out memoir (stage 2)
Fold-out memoir with first two panels open
Single-volume memoir with slipcase or box case
Three-volume memoir in slipcase
MEMOIR WITH THREE DIFFERENT BINDINGS
Fold-out memoir in slipcase
Opening the fold-out memoir (stage 1)
Opening the fold-out memoir (stage 2)
Fold-out memoir with first two panels open
Single-volume memoir with slipcase or box case
Three-volume memoir in slipcase
FAMILY PHOTO BOOK IN SLIPCASE ON WALL
Book of family photos—from 6 generations!
Some memorabilia scanned and included in photo book
Slipcase for photo book—the slipcase can be hung on the wall as book art
Two canvas prints on wall—the left one is the slipcase with the book in it
FAMILY PHOTO BOOK IN SLIPCASE ON WALL
Book of family photos—from 6 generations!
Some memorabilia scanned and included in photo book
Slipcase for photo book—the slipcase can be hung on the wall as book art
Two canvas prints on wall—the left one is the slipcase with the book in it
AUTOBIOGRAPHY — HARDCOVER AND SOFTCOVER
Sample page spreads in Ned Gilbert's autobiography
Dustjacket for the hardcover edition
AUTOBIOGRAPHY — HARDCOVER AND SOFTCOVER
Dustjacket for the hardcover edition
Sample page spreads in Ned Gilbert's autobiography
SLIPCASE WITH FOLDOUT PANELS
For a copy of the same photo book described in Family Photo Book in Slipcase on Wall, we created a custom slipcase with panels that fold out to highlight favourite photographs and two excerpts from a written piece by the aunts’ father. We designed and printed the ten-generation family tree on three of the back panels. The panels fold in, and a magnetized flap holds them shut.
Foldout slipcase ready to be opened
Foldout slipcase being opened
Foldout slipcase being opened further
Book being pulled out of foldout slipcase
Back of foldout slipcase (shows family tree)
Book open in front of foldout slipcase
SLIPCASE WITH FOLDOUT PANELS
For a copy of the same photo book described in "Family Photo Book in Slipcase on Wall" above, we created a custom slipcase with panels that fold out to highlight favourite photographs and two excerpts from a written piece by the aunts’ father. We designed and printed the ten-generation family tree on three of the back panels. The panels fold in, and a magnetized flap holds them shut.
Foldout slipcase ready to be opened
Foldout slipcase being opened
Foldout slipcase being opened further
Book being pulled out of foldout slipcase
Book open in front of foldout slipcase
Back of foldout slipcase (shows family tree)
DONOR’S STORY COMMISSIONED BY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
DONOR’S STORY COMMISSIONED BY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
The Bowen Island Community Foundation wanted to honour a significant donation by Maggie Cumming. The Foundation provided us with Maggie’s story and some photographs. We located additional photographs from the local museum, and provided supplemental photographs of walking trails and Bowen Island’s natural environment to illustrate Maggie’s intent for a portion of her bequest. We laid out the book and did the pre‑press so that copies could be made available from an on‑demand printer at a reasonable price (at the time of the first printing the book could be purchased for $58 for the colour hardcover edition, and $16 for the colour paperback edition, not including taxes or shipping). The book continues to be available for purchase on the Foundation’s website.
Page spreads from Maggie's Story
TESTIMONIAL: “It was a complete pleasure working with Sylvia and Larry Adams of Thumbprint Books. They had accepted the challenge of creating a book that captured the spirit of Maggie Cumming’s life story. The Bowen Island Community Foundation had received a major bequest from her, and the book was a way of honouring her life, her love of Bowen, and her generosity. Sylvia and Larry were personable, enthusiastic, professional, detailed, creative, and meticulous. Their knowledge of the production process and the costs were immense attributes to the success of the project. I hope another opportunity comes along for me to work with them.” — Joyce Ganong, Past Chair of the Bowen Island Community Foundation
DONOR’S STORY COMMISSIONED BY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
The Bowen Island Community Foundation wanted to honour a significant donation by Maggie Cumming. The Foundation provided us with Maggie’s story and some photographs. We located additional photographs from the local museum, and provided supplemental photographs of walking trails and Bowen Island’s natural environment to illustrate Maggie’s intent for a portion of her bequest. We laid out the book and did the pre‑press so that copies could be made available from an on‑demand printer at a reasonable price (at the time of the first printing the book could be purchased for $58 for the colour hardcover edition, and $16 for the colour paperback edition, not including taxes or shipping). The book continues to be available for purchase on the Foundation’s website.
Page spreads from Maggie's Story
TESTIMONIAL: “It was a complete pleasure working with Sylvia and Larry Adams of Thumbprint Books. They had accepted the challenge of creating a book that captured the spirit of Maggie Cumming’s life story. The Bowen Island Community Foundation had received a major bequest from her, and the book was a way of honouring her life, her love of Bowen, and her generosity. Sylvia and Larry were personable, enthusiastic, professional, detailed, creative, and meticulous. Their knowledge of the production process and the costs were immense attributes to the success of the project. I hope another opportunity comes along for me to work with them.” — Joyce Ganong, Past Chair of the Bowen Island Community Foundation