700s: Step by Step: Series Nonfiction How-To

Following instructions is a basic life skill. One of the ways we can encourage children to hone this ability is to offer them an array of attractive, clearly written how-to books that speak to their needs and interests. The child who is rewarded by applause for having performed a successful magic trick, or who has the satisfaction of producing a graceful crane using origami techniques, has learned an important lesson. The series that follow teach that lesson in their coverage of an eclectic range of subjects.

Gr 2-6–Children will be delighted by these colorful books. While each book perforce must contain some of the same information in terms of the basic folds, materials, etc., an effort is made to vary what is included in the “fun facts, glossary, and “read more” sections with little duplication. Easy includes such projects as the simple seven-step paper cup, while Difficult has a 35-step frog. Some of the projects are purely decorative, while others have practical application, such as bookmarks, envelopes, and boxes. All of them have clearly illustrated diagrams and attractive photos of the completed projects using different colors and textures of paper. In order to experience success, readers should use the books in order.

Gr 2-5-These titles feature brief introductory material covering the use of basic shapes as a starting point for drawing, as well as coloring tips. The text is the same in these sections from book to book, but the accompanying illustrations are specific to the subject at hand. The books proceed with easily followed, step-by-step instructions for sketching approximately 40 different creatures. Each page also includes crisp photographs of the animals (with the exception of dinosaurs), as well as one or two neatly boxed “fun facts.” The plentiful white space will allow children to focus on the necessary lines, and the print varies in both size and color, adding significant interest. These will be worthy replacements for some of the titles in Lee J. Ames’s “Draw 50” series (Broadway), which may be showing signs of wear, but there is a caveat. The attractive format will have these books flying off the shelves, but as they are only available in paperback, they may come limping back.

Gr 2-5–These attractive volumes are similarly organized, the only difference being the escalating difficulty of the tricks. Numbered steps, clearly illustrated by crisp photographs, guide students through the preparation and performance of such classic magician’s fare as “The Magical Sailor’s Knot,” “The Freaky Mind Weld,” and “The Spooky Spoon.” Items needed to perform the tricks–pennies, paper bags, etc.–are all inexpensive and readily available. The books’ design, with the text neatly packaged in boxes, will attract reluctant readers. “Magic tips,” included as sidebars, are designed to make the tricks more exciting for the audience. Each volume includes Internet sites to be accessed through FactHound and a brief biography of the author.

Gr 3-5–Any illustration series, particularly one including the various subjects above, must inevitably be compared to the standard in the field since 1974: Lee J. Ames’s “Draw 50” titles (Broadway). Those books are almost completely wordless, with some general advice at the beginning, followed by step-by-step sketches that lead to a completed drawing. In contrast, these new titles are extremely wordy. Also, the font is fuzzy and thin, the color at times verges on a light gray, and the size ranges from standard to downright tiny. The end result is that the text is barely readable in many places, particularly when it merges with part of a picture. Another problem is the vocabulary. Words such as “ellipse” and “axle” are frequently used but aren’t defined in the glossary whereas “chiaroscuro” is explained both within the text and in the glossary. The steps often move from what is still a rough sketch to a suddenly complete, detailed drawing, while at other times the finished drawing does not appear. Libraries can pass on this series.

Gr 3-5–Despite their varying authorship, all of these books are consistent in terms of presentation. Each one discusses the history of a particular form of dance, including the progression of the style and significant performers, as well as what is happening currently with respect to each of them. All are liberally illustrated with large, clear photographs that convey a sense of the kind of movement involved in each style. The books are attractively designed with text boxes in complementary pastel colors that punctuate the main body of the text. “Amazing fact,” “Dance fact,” “Technique,” and “Biography” boxes provide additional interesting information. There is little in the way of actual instruction in the books, nor is that their intent, but they could encourage readers to pursue their favorite style in a more practical way. With the recent popularity of numerous dance shows on television, these titles are sure to find an audience.

Gr 2-5–These books focus on the different skills in a magician’s bag of tricks. Each spread features one trick or activity, most of which include components, such as preparation, difficulty rating, props needed, step-by-step illustrated instructions, hints and tips, and/or famous magicians and illusions. The instructions are clear and easy to follow and the necessary props inexpensive and readily available. There is no back matter, and the illustrations, while clear, are pedestrian.

Gr 2-4–These books are well organized, with clearly written sections on “Tools of the Trade,” 'Basic Elements,” “Composition,” and “Techniques,” and several clever projects and exercises to practice putting all of these elements together. A “What’s Next” section explains how to care for the finished projects. The pages are crowded, and the font used is quite small. There is also repetition of text that is not always appropriate from one book to the other. For example, the section on “Composition” in Drawing is identical to that in Collage, but none of the examples use collage technique. Otherwise these titles should have substantial child appeal.

Gr 2-6–While this series is consistent in terms of presentation and design, it is very uneven when it comes to project difficulty and writing clarity. Children are likely to experience the most success in both engaging with the material and completing the projects from Flower Garden, Vegetable Garden, Butterfly Garden, and Perennial Garden. All the tasks delineated are well within the scope of children’s abilities, and the items needed to complete them are not hard to find. At the other end of the spectrum are Landscape Design, which calls for benches and birdbaths that can be very pricey, and Pond and Water Garden, which requires readers to determine the configuration of a hole in which to place a liner and then dig a massive hole; these could not possibly be done without adult assistance and supervision. While all six books have excellent full-color photography and include charts and diagrams to assist in the completion of the projects, individual titles should be considered instead of the whole set.

Gr 3-6-Each of these attractive, well-designed books features between 10 and 12 nicely structured, enjoyable crafts. An introduction provides information as to the preparation, tools, and skills required for success. The clearly written step-by-step instructions include an unusual feature: they indicate the time required, not just for completion of the craft, but for cleanup as well. All of the books feature a combination of brightly colored artwork and realistic photographs. The least successful may be Drawing –children may be disappointed when, despite their having followed all the directions, their efforts do not approach the end product shown in the book. A Web site providing links related to the series will be updated regularly.

Gr 2-4–Each of these books begins with a brief introduction that includes a few salient but rather random facts, followed by a map with the states under discussion clearly outlined. Each state is then covered in a two-page listing of such things as its capital, nickname, official bird, fish, flower, etc. All of this information is available in greater detail in books devoted to the states. Two crafts that loosely relate to the history or culture of each state follow. Students can make a Paul Bunyan statue to coincide with the study of Maine, a Stovepipe Hat Penny Bank for Tennessee, etc. While the directions for each project are clear, how they relate to the state is not. The piece on Paul Bunyan explains that Bangor claims to be his birthplace, but leaves readers in the dark as to who the man was or his importance. Abe Lincoln’s connection to Tennessee, other than the presence of a museum honoring him there, is also unexplained. The crafts rely repeatedly on modeling clay or papier mâché, and the finished products are unremarkable.

Gr 2-4–These books will inspire children to look at the world around them in fresh and exciting ways. Buildings will have readers examining all sorts of structures, from their local school to Antonio Gaudí’s Casa Batlló in Barcelona, Spain and noticing how features such as roofs, windows, textures, and shapes impact not just a building’s function but how a person feels when inside. Mother Nature examines the patterns and colors that exist naturally in habitats and animal life, tells how they have inspired great artists such as Henri Rousseau (who was said to have used more than 50 shades of green in his paintings), and discusses the geometric patterns that characterize Islamic art. Self-Portrait looks at how such images reveal the identity of their subject through the use of light and shadow, paint effects, items included in the picture, etc. Sculpture introduces children to a broad range of methods and materials, including, clay, cardboard, wire, natural materials, and ice. All of the books include projects that involve the use of digital cameras, scanners, and computer effects in creative and original ways. “Further Information for Parents and Teachers” includes a wide range of possible activities to extend the information provided, often suggesting further research on the Internet. The books are well designed, with a large, bold font; clear and ample photography; and interesting layout.

The outstanding offerings here are the “Start-Up Art and Design” and “Origami” series. The first has a fresh and original approach to the subject as well as a seamlessly appropriate integration of technology. The second is clearly written, well organized, and attractively illustrated. Of the two magic series, Capstone’s ”Magic Tricks” has a slight edge over the QEB set because of the use of actual photographs instead of mundane pencil drawings, more variety in terms of the tricks to be performed, and the inclusion of further print and Web resources. The “Dance” series and individual titles in “Gardening for Kids” should be considered where there is significant interest. For those interested in sketching, the attractive “All About Drawing” books are the way to go. The other series are strictly additional.