A grab bag of 80+ craft projects related to sound and music, with mini-lessons about early instruments, musical notation, famous musicians, etc. A third of the projects are purely decorative (e.g., a mobile incorporating musical symbols); most of the rest are sound-producing, can be made quickly with inexpensive materials (a juice-can drum; a double-reed instrument from a drinking straw), and are surprisingly functional. A few are ill-conceived: It takes a gale to produce sound from the screws and nails in the wind chime; the hole in the knot popper soon enlarges, making it unplayable. One or two projects are more labor than they're worth: The limbo pole requires messing about with plaster of Paris, when two people and a broom handle are all that's really needed. The b&w drawings and diagrams are adequate, but several examples are incorrectly notated or captioned (e.g., on page 57, joined eighth notes are mislabeled as quarter notes). There are enough other editorial lapses and inaccuracies (a meaningless explanation of sharp and flat signs; an ``Irish harp'' shaped like a Greek lyre; etc.) to make the book unsuitable for its target audience, though it may have some use as a source for adults. But see Helen Drew's My First Music Book (Dorling Kindersley, 1993) for more detailed, better illustrated instructions for making instruments. Index. (Nonfiction. 5-10)
Pub Date: April 1, 1994
ISBN: 0-8069-0406-2
Page Count: 160
Publisher: Sterling
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 1994
Although the love comes shining through, the text often confuses in straining for patterned simplicity.
A collection of parental wishes for a child.
It starts out simply enough: two children run pell-mell across an open field, one holding a high-flying kite with the line “I wish you more ups than downs.” But on subsequent pages, some of the analogous concepts are confusing or ambiguous. The line “I wish you more tippy-toes than deep” accompanies a picture of a boy happily swimming in a pool. His feet are visible, but it's not clear whether he's floating in the deep end or standing in the shallow. Then there's a picture of a boy on a beach, his pockets bulging with driftwood and colorful shells, looking frustrated that his pockets won't hold the rest of his beachcombing treasures, which lie tantalizingly before him on the sand. The line reads: “I wish you more treasures than pockets.” Most children will feel the better wish would be that he had just the right amount of pockets for his treasures. Some of the wordplay, such as “more can than knot” and “more pause than fast-forward,” will tickle older readers with their accompanying, comical illustrations. The beautifully simple pictures are a sweet, kid- and parent-appealing blend of comic-strip style and fine art; the cast of children depicted is commendably multiethnic.
Although the love comes shining through, the text often confuses in straining for patterned simplicity. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: April 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-4521-2699-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2015
At ``Step 2'' in the useful ``Step into Reading'' series: an admirably clear, well-balanced presentation that centers on wolves' habits and pack structure. Milton also addresses their endangered status, as well as their place in fantasy, folklore, and the popular imagination. Attractive realistic watercolors on almost every page. Top-notch: concise, but remarkably extensive in its coverage. A real bargain. (Nonfiction/Easy reader. 6-10)
Pub Date: April 1, 1992
ISBN: 0-679-91052-2
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 1992
BOOK REVIEW
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