All-Girl Crafts

October 1, 2005
Gr 3-6 -A collection of 22 unique crafts. Each activity opens with a -Here is what you need - section, followed by -Here is what you do - directions. Girls can make a pillow-doll pajama bag, fancy envelopes, flower fairies, doll furniture, a seashell baby, a bangle-bracelet picture frame, a change purse, and more. Steps are easy to follow and materials are store-bought, recyclables, and some general supplies (glue, scissors, etc.). As with Ross's other craft titles, this book is sure to please children and the adults who assist them. A welcome addition to be used along with existing titles such as Francesca Rusackas's "60 Super Simple Friendship Crafts" (Lowell, 1999) and the "Better Homes and Gardens Scrapbooking for Girls Only" (Meredith, 2004)." -Augusta R. Malvagno, Queens Borough Public Library, NY"

Copyright 2005 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 15, 2005
Gr. 2-4. Ross, who has more than 50 crafts books to her credit, targets elementary-school girls in this book in the Girl Crafts series. In her familiar, well-illustrated, step-by-step style, she demonstrates how to turn buttons, ruffles, paper dolls, bangles, beads, paper, fabric, and more into a variety of fun, useful, and frivolous creations--ranging from a picture frame made from old bangle bracelets to a tassel doll and a lace-trimmed shadow box. Instructions are very clear and precisely illustrated with color pictures, the first of which shows the finished project. A particularly nice feature is the illustrated list of materials, which heads the instructions; each required object, be it glue or junk jewelry, is both named and pictured. Most of the projects are designed for kids to make by themselves, although children will need to be skillful with scissors.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2005, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2006
The indefatigably crafty Ross presents twenty-two craft activities intended to appeal to girls. The instructions are easy to follow, but some of the projects seem fairly useless (e.g., Pillow Doll Pajama Bag, Scrunchy-Covered Jars). The vaguely cartoony illustrations give the reader no real idea of what the finished products should look like.

(Copyright 2006 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)