Rainy Days & Saturdays
Grade 3-6?This attractive title offers over 150 antidotes to boredom, ranging from creating kazoos to learning magic tricks to making soda. "Getting Started" provides good general instructions on using the book and collecting supplies. Safety cautions are given both here and within individual activities. The 15 chapters divide the projects into major topics such as "Number Fun," "Indoor Sports," "Neat Treats," and "Magic Tricks." Each entry includes a short description, a boxed list of supplies and materials, and easy-to-follow instructions and diagrams. The activities vary in the time they take to complete. For kids looking for something fast, "Quick Tricks" are highlighted in the table of contents. They require no preparation, few materials, and are easy to complete. "Rainy Day Menus" help children plan an entire day of amusement. The colorful cover, fun headings, and humorous blue pen-and-ink cartoons combine to make the book's design lively and appealing. Steve and Ruth Bennett's Cabin Fever (Viking, 1994) includes similar activities but is written for adults to use with children, and Jane Drake and Ann Love's Kids' Summer Handbook (Ticknor & Fields, 1994) focuses primarily on outdoor and nature activities and is for a slightly older audience. A must for public libraries and every home with school-age children.?Paula A. Kiely, Milwaukee Public Library, WICopyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.