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Saturday, April 28, 2018

#NetGalley Book Review: Out of the Box by Jemma Westing

This looks like great fun with imaginative projects for kids.
Out of the Box
by Jemma Westing
Age Range: 7 - 10 years
Grade Level: 2 - 5
Lexile Measure: 0870 (What's this?)
Hardcover: 144 pages
Publisher: DK Children (April 18, 2017)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1465458964
Genre: Children, Crafts
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0


Twenty-five interactive cardboard model projects that engage kids' creativity and "out of the box" thinking skills through hands-on learning and the application of science-based principles.
Kids can bring old cardboard to life and build recycled creations they can play with, sit in, and wear.
Supporting STEAM education initiatives and the Maker Movement, Out of the Box includes 25 interactive cardboard model projects to inspire kids' creativity through engaged and hands-on learning, and, as the founder of Maker Faire Dale Dougherty says, "to realize with their hands what they can imagine in their minds."
From small-scale gifts to large constructions, author and award-winning paper engineer Jemma Westing uses clear, step-by-step instructions to show kids how to make dinosaurs, masks, race cars, and so much more, and inspirational images encourage them to make their own unique models when they are feeling more confident. The projects utilize only recycled materials, including cardboard rolls and boxes, so all the supplies should be easy to find right at home.
Build something brilliant with Out of the Box. The possibilities are endless!


Review:
This is a fun resource for crafts made from boxes and recycled materials. The book starts with tools that may be needed and techniques for cutting, curling, taping and gluing. It closes with templates for many of the projects.

There are smaller items like tube owls, butterflies, flowers and lizards to larger items like outdoor games such as Ring Toss Challenge and Feed the Monster games. There are Racing Rabbits and an alternate version for Penguin Skate race. There are fun items to wear like helmets, masks and body costumes. There are settings like a play theater, aquariums, castles and a city. Finally, there is a large geodesic den to serve as a clubhouse and an ambitious project to build a recycled racer.

The projects show the difficulty range as easy, medium or hard. Each project ends with an extra tip to try another version or add on. Although I suspect that working with cardboard may not be as easy as this makes it look, this clearly gives a chance to encourage the imagination of young people with crafts, variations and colors! I like that it uses recycled materials. If I was home with children I would give this a try.

Source: NetGalley 2018. This adds to my NetGalley and Alphabet Challenge.

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