Instructions for a dozen craft projects plus one cooking activity accompany general information about common plants, animals, birds (Nature); and fish, penguins, turtles (Ocean). Collage illustrations underscore the versatility of paper as an art medium. Ocean's projects are a bit more free-form and advanced. "Seashore" (Nature) and "Beachcombing" (Ocean) spreads emphasize respect for nature.

Information combines with easy crafts to introduce various types of plants and animals in this compilation.Each spread introduces basic facts about a topic, such as "Birds," "Birds in Winter," "Owls," "Twigs," "Wildflowers," "Insects," and more. Collage-style illustrations in natural hues with pops of color—reds and oranges for squirrels, berries and fruits—display different species, each labeled clearly. On the recto of each spread, a craft based on its theme is described. Most of the crafts involve tracing a template from the book and then transferring the template onto colored paper before putting the pieces together. The crafts generally use inexpensive items that are easily found around the house, such as toilet-paper rolls and coat hangers. While some of the crafts are innovative and entertaining, such as a fluttering butterfly that rides on one's finger or animal finger puppets, others, like a paper-plate fish, will likely garner only a little attention before winding up in the recycling. The information is easily read with a child, but the craft instructions are best suited for an adult reader who will demonstrate the craft for the child. The illustrations are certainly the best part about both this and its companion volume, The Ocean Craft Book.A decent first nature activity book for use with preschool-age children. (Informational picture book. 4-7)

K-Gr 2 Young readers are encouraged to go outside and observe nature wherever they live, city or country, and then utilize those observations to create various complementary craft projects with everyday materials. Each spread includes short paragraphs about various aspects of nature, e.g., birds, deer, leaves, twigs. The book provides basic instructions and a materials list for creating projects such as a bird mobile, finger puppets, twig snowflakes, etc. The writing is accessible and the facts stick to the basics. The craft projects are simple and encourage the use of recycled materials from home; some will occasionally need adult supervision. The collage artwork is lovely and colorful, and the entire layout is very attractive. VERDICT This is a nice addition to most craft collections for young children and could be used both at home and in a classroom setting. Jody Kopple, Shady Hill School, Cambridge, MA