Making Mosaics

July 1, 2011

Gr 4-8-This assortment of how-to books contains directions with accompanying color photographs illustrating the processes involved. Each book opens with an introductory section identifying supplies and crafting tips, followed by a dozen or so projects. Crisp photographs show the finished projects. The amount of time needed to complete them is noted, along with clean-up times. Eco-crafts offers projects that help to support and protect wildlife as well as those that feature reused materials. Some of the activities require a craft knife, drill, saw, matches, blender, or electric iron. Safety precautions and adult supervision are included here as well as in the other titles. Making Masks details ways to construct masks from cardboard, box lids, and papier-mache. Tiles used to assemble art projects in Making Mosaics are created from colored paper, card stock, fun foam, shells, and fabric. Sock, glove, shadow, and stick puppets are among the types described in Making Puppets. The paper figures in Origami are for experienced crafters. While basic steps are explained in the introduction, those challenging steps must be mastered in order to move on to later projects. Animals, jewelry, a pinata, bowling pin soldiers, and a monster are included in Papier-Mache. Scout groups, summer camp leaders, teachers, and individual crafters will find plenty of workable ideas in these volumes. With clearly worded directions, they contain a nice mix of new ideas along with some of the more commonly found tried-and-true crafts.-Lynn Vanca, Freelance Librarian, Akron, OH

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