For those who love both pets and crafts, these new offerings from Kids Can Press are sure to be hits. Ontario author/illustrator Linda Hendry’s Dog Crafts is filled with eyecatching theme projects kids will want to make, either as gifts or for themselves.
Hendry’s introduction lists the easily found materials required for each craft: cardboard, glue, scissors, utility knives, fimo, paints, and sewing utensils. Safety information is also included, about protecting work surfaces and having an adult help when using scissors and knives. All measurements are given in imperial and metric units. Each project is outlined on its own double-paged spread with a “You Will Need” section. Then, step-by-step instructions and diagrams take the reader through each stage of construction. A colour photo reveals the finished product. Suggested crafts include doghouse bookends, a pooch pencil case, a dog collar cover, a canine photo album, a decorated switchplate, and a puppy placemat.
Hendry has also produced a sister volume, Cat Crafts, which has the same user-friendly format but focuses on items for the cat lover. Many of the projects are the same as in Dog Crafts, but modified with cat imagery. For the most part, Hendry’s crafts have a practical side to them, resulting in useful, not simply decorative products. Both her books are visually appealing; text and illustration are balanced on the pages and there is enough colour to attract and inspire young crafters. Hendry’s diagrams are clear and the instructions succinct. Books that encourage children’s creative abilities are always needed in school and public libraries, and these two volumes are welcome additions.