Hawaiian Lei Making Mutual Publishing, 64 pages, hardcover $13.95, softcover, $9.95

If you're one of those who hurriedly snags a lei at the stand outside the high school gym right before the graduation ceremony, Laurie Shimizu Ide's book may not be for you.

Or maybe it is.

For those who haven't a clue about lei or the methods to create one, Ide's "Hawaiian Lei Making" is a gem.

The book not only gives step-by-step instructions for stringing a lei, it describes the plant from which a blossom comes, the season in which it is available, and how to store each kind of lei.

The instructions also provide novices with details, like how long to make the string, what kind of needle to use and how many blooms each lei will require.

The photographs that accompany the instructions are effective tools, especially when the lei is complicated. Lei are pictured so that you know what its supposed to look like.

The book also describes the origin and customs of lei, the lei of each of the islands and six methods of lei making, all with photos.

Even the most inept, all-thumbs fumblers among us will be able to string a beautiful lei with more heart behind it than one from a vendor.