Fired Up! : Making Pottery in Ancient Times

School Library Journal

Gr 4-6-Gonen explains the probable origins of pottery and its use in ancient times, its construction, the development of the wheel, and the methods of dating materials found at archeological sites. The book's organization is a little confusing, with many sidebars inserted in the text and the use of many modern photographs ostensibly to explain ancient methods. Also, there are many misleading statements made within the text and in the photo captions. A picture referred to as kneading ``to remove air bubbles'' shows what is probably a search for twigs and other foreign materials in the clay. A photo said to be of a pottery student using ``slip to smooth the surface'' of a pot is actually of someone forming a spout. The picture of a ``traditional Japanese potter'' shows an elderly woman. Women prepare clay, add handles and spouts to pieces, but it is the men who are the potters. A photo of a lidded pot is labeled a Chinese bowl. Christine Price's Arts of Clay (Scribners, 1977; o.p.) is a more focused introduction to ceramics history and art appreciation. If collections need an introduction to ancient pottery, Fired Up! might be of use.-Marilyn Iarusso, New York Public Library