Where would we be without paper? We'd have no books or magazines, no paper money, and no material on which to paint or draw. But fortunately, paper has been around for thousands of years--and we have ancient China to thank for that! This detailed volume explains the history of paper, from its likely origins with hemp fiber to its use for books and documents and its growing spread to other areas of the world. Photos of historical artifacts bring history to life, and further sources encourage readers to learn more.