Pintura

Criticas

Kindergarten-Grade 3–A collection of short volumes on simple craft projects, such as gift wrapping, collages, and masks. Colorful photographs (including many of children displaying their creations), simple step-by-step instructions, and a large font make these good supplemental purchases for public library and school juvenile collections; they are also excellent choices for booksellers.
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Children's Literature

Bulloch and James have put together a book of painting activities for young children. The pages are illustrated with bright photographs of smiling children who have just completed the page's painting project. Although the resulting projects from the book look too good to have been made by a five-year old, they are accessible to a five-year old. The collection of projects includes sponge painting, cutting and using one's own stamps, and painting rocks. For the more advanced painter, the authors have included directions for making a papier-mâché frame to house all of the child's recently produced works of art. The ideas are entertaining enough to endure a rainy day, though they probably require more adult supervision and assistance than the authors claim. Adults are only called to help with cutting cardboard, but more complicated projects such as laying strips of papier-mâché and varnishing rocks necessitate instruction that is not provided by the book. This book is probably best for an art teacher to use as a classroom resource, while keeping in mind that children may need further direction. Likewise, parents should be ready to participate in painting flowerpots with younger readers. 2002, Two-Can Publishing, Ages 5 to 8.
—Veronica Betancourt