Book Party

My daughter loves a good book. Like, really loves it. So when she asked to host her girlfriends for a book party, we jumped right in with something simple, fun, and quick to pull together. She was so proud to play hostess, and the best part? You could easily give this idea a spooky twist for Halloween too.

We started with a $3 antique book I found at a local shop—the pages were perfectly yellowed and worn, just begging to be repurposed. Our plan was to turn them into a book page runner for the kitchen island.

Here’s how we did it:

First, we measured out how long we wanted the runner.
Then we carefully tore pages from the book and laid them out on the rug—no pattern needed, just a casual, layered look.
Once we liked the length and width, we flipped the pages over and secured them together with strips of packing tape across the back.

That’s it! In just a few minutes we had the most charming (and very budget-friendly) table runner. It set the tone for the whole party, and my daughter was thrilled to show it off.

To bring the party to life, we added one of the easiest touches: a book page garland. We taped torn pages to fishing line at random and hung the strands from the ceiling. It took only a few minutes, but the impact was huge—it felt whimsical, like words were floating all around us.

Next, we gathered up old books from around the house and stacked them in clusters across the table. To add depth, I pulled out my wood rounds (which I usually use as risers) and layered the books at different heights. Suddenly, the whole table looked styled and intentional—without spending a dime.

Of course, the treats were the highlight. My daughter baked brownies that she made look like old books. Watching her dive into the theme with so much creativity was pure joy. She topped each cupcake with little book toppers we found on Amazon and even wrote quotes from each girl’s favorite story to personalize them. As a final touch, we scattered tiny mini books as confetti across the table.

The best part of the whole day? Seeing how much pride my daughter took in hosting. I’ve always believed that when you host and entertain, it’s not about how elaborate the setup is (although I do love a show) —it’s about making your guests feel cared for, like every detail was chosen just for them. That’s what makes the magic. Watching her mimic that same thoughtfulness made my heart so full.