Some More Craft Fun

The Kid’s Guide to Making Scrapbooks & Photo Albums!: How to Collect, Design, Assemble, Decorate

by Laura Check

Have you ever thought about using the pictures and things you collected from a trip or special event to create a scrapbook? This nonfiction book can help you complete one. There are several chapters within this book that include: collecting and sorting your stuff, making almost-instant albums, cool covers, papers galore, jazzing it up, photography fun, and creative lettering and journaling. The important thing that the author wants readers to remember is that there is no right or wrong way to make a scrapbook and to have lots of fun while making it. Some other tools that you might need are rulers, different shapes, papers, paper trimmers or shape cutters, pens, protective sleeves or containers, punches, rubber stamps, stencils or templates, and stickers. There are also some suggestions about different kinds of paper, things, to collect, and other supplies. There are tips on how to cut the paper, secure the paper and photos to the album, and mount the pictures. The first big step is to take everything for your scrapbook and decide the order and amount of things that you want to include in your scrapbook. There are several ways to choose from to complete your scrapbook. You can punch three holes in the side of the paper and put it in an easy loose-ring binder, use a hole punch to make holes all down the sides of the paper and tie a string through each of the holes, make an accordion book, make a wrap-around album, and many more. Most of the pages have an illustration that shows you how to create the type of album that you would like to put your memories in. This book has lots of great ideas to help you get started.

Junk Drawer Jewelry

by Rachel di Salle and Ellen Warwick

Did you know that you can make really cool jewelry from “junk” that you just have lying around the house? In this nonfiction book, these authors will show you some cool jewelry items that you can make with this “junk.” Before getting started, make sure to look at the safety tips that the authors have listed to make sure that you can get your jewelry made without anyone getting hurt (especially yourself). Some of the tools you will need are pliers and wire cutters, shrinkable plastic, clasps, jump rings, head pins and eye pins, earring wires, and ribbon closures. Some of the jewelry creations include: washer rings, vinyl wristbands, sequined earrings, button bonanza bracelet, galaxy-girl charm bracelet, and daring duct tape wristband. Each piece of jewelry shows a drawing of each step to take during the process of making the piece of jewelry, and there is also a picture of the finished piece at the beginning of each piece. At the end of the book are some templates to use when making some of the pieces.

You Can Weave!: Projects for Young Weavers

by Kathleen Monaghan and Hermon Joyner

You do not necessarily need to know how to crochet or knit in order to create a woven masterpiece. This nonfiction book can show you some other creative ways of creating woven projects. The chapters include: The Weaving Process, Cardboard Looms, Frame Looms, Back Strap Looms, and Beads, Braids, and Baskets. The projects that the authors have included within this book get you introduced to weaving terms and techniques. One project is just weaving with construction paper. Each project has a picture of some finished projects, and there are pictures of each step of the process, too. Another material to use in weaving is straw, to create the second project with a straw loom (a bookmark). Some other projects are created with cardboard looms (mug rugs, tapestry, or woven pouch). You can also create a frame loom to create different styles of weave (such as plaid). Finally, you can use the back strap loom to create things like belts or bracelets. This book contains lots of methods and examples to find the one that is best for you. At the end of the book are some diagrams for creating the looms.

The New Jumbo Book of Easy Crafts

by Judy Ann Sadler and illustrated by Caroline Price

This book is filled with lots of fun ideas for making cool crafts. There are crafts to Imagine and Create, Wear and Use, Make and Play, and Decorate and Celebrate. At the beginning is a list of materials that you will need to use to make the crafts: glue, pipe cleaners, cardboard, and decorating supplies, along with things like cereal boxes, scrap paper, egg cartons, and plastic bottles. You might also get some items from the craft store, such as beads or buttons. One thing to make sure is to stay safe when making your crafts, having some adult supervision when using things like irons or knives, and wear clothes that you do not mind getting messy. Some of the crafts include: squashed-paint pictures, thumbuddies, paper weaving, cotton-ball sheep, button puppies, drinking-straw bead bracelets, a royal crown, button frame, braided bookmark, tissue-box dollhouses, puzzles, and many, many more.

Mimi

Mimi

by John Newman

Mimi lost her mother in a bicycle accident five months ago, and her family is having a hard time dealing with the death. Mimi’s father is very depressed and sits around the house looking old and tired. Her sister Sally is wearing black clothes, hanging out with other goth friends, and has a terrible secret that she won’t tell anyone. Her brother Connor plays the drums all the time he is home. Mimi feels terribly lonely in her grief, and so she reads her sister’s diary and watches television to feel better. Mimi calls her house the sad house, and she enjoys going to the other houses of her family members after school each day. She also enjoys the little treats that she gets at the other houses, because her father always burns the pizzas that he cooks every night. Mimi also doesn’t have a bed time, and she doesn’t do her homework unless her Aunt B. makes her. Then Mimi reads in the diary that Sally knows she is reading it. Mimi really wanted to know Sally’s secret, but she decides to stop reading the diary. Mimi is not sure of what to do with her family, but she does know that she wants things to get better. Then one day, the teachers tell their father what has been going on at school, the dentist tells their grandparents that they have not been brushing regularly, and Mrs. Lemon at the store tells their father what Sally’s secret is. Sally decides to run away. Will the family be able to find Sally? What did she do that she thinks was terrible enough to run away? Will everything work out okay for this grieving family?

This book covers a very hard topic that will be very hard for some readers. It is something that no one ever wants to face, but this family has to face it and come through it together. The main theme of the book is coping, which the family does not do very well in the beginning. However, little by little, they start working to bring things closer to the way it was before their loss. This book is about a family in England, so the slang may be a little confusing.

Some New Books for December

Clifford Cares

By Norman Bridwell

Clifford the Big Red Dog is back in this little board book, and Emily Elizabeth shares with us all of the things that Clifford cares about. Clifford cares about his family, and he helps them cross the street safely. Clifford cares about his neighbors by helping them paint their house. Clifford is good at getting the really high spots. Clifford cares about other animals, and he helps Emily Elizabeth feed the birds and squirrels at the park. He also makes sure that other dogs have bones, cats have some milk, and even that little mice get some nice cheese. Do you think everyone appreciates the way that Clifford cares about them? Who are some of the people and animals that you care about?

M.O.M. (Mom Operating Manual)

by Doreen Cronin and illustrated by Laura Cornell

Have you ever had trouble understanding how your mom does everything that she does in a day? Have you ever wondered how to take really good care of your mother? Then this book will be lots of help for you. In the introduction, the authors tell you all about different kinds of mothers and the things that they do in a day. The next section in the book is on the Daily Care and Maintenance that your mom needs, such as sleep, nutrition, exercise, and water (or SNEW for short). You can learn all about how much of these your mom needs. The next section of the book is on grooming, such as bathing, hair, and clothing. There are also some special notes on transportation with your mother. The last section of the book is about troubleshooting (when your mother malfunctions). Some minor malfunctions include heavy sighing, groaning, or snapping. There are also some helpful hints on how to handle a malfunctioning mom. The one thing that you will get from this book is lots of laughter. Make sure to share it with your mom for a laugh.

I Want My Hat Back

by Job Klassen

A bear realizes that he has lost his hat, and he wants to find it. First, the bear asks the fox if he has seen his hat, but the fox has not. The bear thanks the fox and moves on. Next, the bear asks a frog if he has seen his hat, but the frog has not. The bear thanks the frog and continues on. Next, the bear asks a rabbit with a red hat on his head if he has seen his hat. The rabbit says he has not and tells the bear that he would not steal a hat. The bear thanks the rabbit and continues on. Then the bear meets a turtle and asks if the turtle has seen the hat. The turtle tells the bear that he has been trying to climb the rock and has not seen anything. The bear helps the turtle onto the rock and continues on. The next animal he asks about his hat is the snake. The snake says that he say a blue hat, but the bear’s hat is not blue. After asking one more animal about his hat, the bear lies down and worries what he will do without his hat. A deer walks up and asks bear what is wrong. Then he asks the bear what his hat looked like? Will telling the deer help the bear remember where he had seen his hat? What does the bear tell the squirrel when the squirrel comes looking for the rabbit?

Happy Pig Day!

by Mo Willems

Piggie is so happy to share with Gerald that it is Happy Pig Day. Piggie tells Gerald that on Happy Pig Day, you have a pig party, sing pig songs, dance pig dances, eat pig food, play pig games, and say “Oinky! Oink! Oink!” Gerald tells Piggie that he did not know about Happy Pig Day, and then Piggie’s friends arrive to celebrate with her. Gerald sees that Piggie is having a lot of fun with her friends, and he starts to feel left out. After Gerald leaves, Piggie goes to look for him. Why is Gerald sad about Happy Pig Day? Will Piggie help Gerald be happier with Happy Pig Day? Will everyone have a chance to have fun on Happy Pig Day?