Bake It and Build It

Lorraine Douglas is the youth services co-ordinator at the Winnipeg
Public Library.

These two new additions to the Kids Can Do It series focus on enjoyable
and appealing activities for families.

Making Picture Frames explains the basic steps in working with glue,
cardboard, and cutting knives. There are ideas for over 25 frames to
make for photos, postcards, and artwork. The projects are imaginative,
especially the papiér mвché television frame and the
“out-of-this-world” frame. Each project is accompanied by a list of
affordable supplies, step-by-step instructions, and wonderfully clear
drawings. There are safety tips but unfortunately no discussion or
illustration of how to safely cut through cardboard by holding the ruler
firmly and gently cutting in several strokes.

Bake It and Build It offers wonderful ideas for creating with cookie
dough. The color photos of the 11 projects are superb, and the projects
are carefully and clearly described. There are kitchen safety tips;
recipes for five doughs, icing, and melted chocolate; and patterns for
the Thanksgiving turkey, cookie gardens, and cookie castle. “For
projects that you won’t be eating, ” the author advises, “you can
use white glue instead of chocolate or icing. When giving a project as a
gift, make sure to tell the person if white glue has been used on it.”
Both books are highly recommended.