Packing up a Picnic: Activities and Recipes for Kids (Acitvities for Kids)
Grade 3—6—Packing Upcontains suggestions for menus, locations, games, etc., to make a picnic an adventure. The recipes aren't particularly innovative, but their presentation is, and the ideas for activities and the plans will be especially useful to children looking to go beyond the backyard. The second title has instructions for making various types of improvised stoves and cooking containers (e.g., muffins baked in hollowed-out orange rinds cooked over hot coals). Everything from gathering firewood to preparing wax-based fire starters is covered, along with setting up a campsite. The recipes require a great deal of adult supervision and often don't include basic sanitary recommendations (like washing poultry and hands thoroughly or giving temperatures that food should reach in order to be safe to eat). While these books do make the topics child-friendly and include an initial safety warning, very few illustrations include adults, and, unfortunately, children might be tempted to try things on their own.—Genevieve Gallagher, Murray Elementary School, Charlottesville, VACopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.