Things I Can Make with Cloth

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

With colder weather around the corner, parents will soon be scrambling for constructive projects to occupy house-bound children. This pair of inventive craft books from Germany are a welcome addition to the bookshelf. Full-color photographs and clear, simple directions show children how to make such things as a paper windmill; gilt foil stars and snowflakes; and a burlap mask. A lively elf appears on each page, adding a touch of whimsy. Unfortunately, the books lack a list of materials for each project; instead, readers must infer what is needed from the pictures. Ages 3-8. (Oct.)

School Library Journal

K-Gr 2-- Each of these titles demonstrates 12 simple projects; each project is photographed as a finished product, with few or no instructions. The cloth projects are somewhat more complex than the paper ones. Included are collages, weavings, paper coins and change purses, masks, and simple toys. Particularly pleasing are a cloth painting and a paper envelope puppet theater. A gnomelike character appears with each activity and contributes a sense of playfulness to the attractive, uncluttered pages. The simple layout, small size, and minimal instructions will inspire confidence in children; however, they may need an adult to interpret some of the less obvious effects or to prepare some of the supplies, and readers who need step-by-step instructions may find the books frustrating. The projects demonstrated and the skill required to execute them most closely resemble those in Robert Lopshire's How to Make Snop Snappers and Other Fine Things (Greenwillow, 1977; o.p.) and Harlow Rockwell's I Did It (Aladdin, 1987), but Lohf uses less explanation and depends more on the individual reader's own creativity and imagination. --Cynthia Bishop, Onondaga County Pub . Lib . , Syracuse, NY