Starred Review ALA Booklist (Sat Dec 01 00:00:00 CST 2012)

Starred Review This hip book taps into the popularity of yarn bombing type of street art providing a guide to creating "sneaky" art intended to surprise people in public places. The author makes it clear that sneaky art is not graffiti or meant to deface, but it is supposed to be fun, removable, and promote happiness. Most of the items needed to fashion these projects can be found in the recycling bin or at a craft store, and the necessary tools are basics like glue and scissors. After the introduction, Jocelyn offers up a multitude (24 in all) of crafts sure to make any passerby smile. There's the "Teensy-Weensy Washing Line," made using string, tiny clothespins, and clothing either cut out of magazines or hand drawn. Once you put it all together, drape the clothesline across the door of a washer or dryer. Another übercute, simple example is the "Cup Dangler," which involves only a paper clip and a gummy fish. Unbend the paper clip, hook it through the mouth of the fish, and hang the other end from the rim of a mug ilà! A treat for Mom or Dad. The effort-to-joy ratio here is high on the joy side. With bright photos illustrating the project in action, an appealing design, and easy-to-follow instructions, crafty (and sneaky) kids are going to love this d may want to hide and catch the discoverer of their handiwork. Fun all the way around.

Horn Book (Thu Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2013)

This spiral-bound book contains instructions for easy art projects plus suggestions for hiding them in public as cheerful surprises. Crafts include paper garlands to string in the refrigerator; tissue-paper cupcakes to leave on a teacher's desk; cork boats to set sail in a public fountain; and painted stones to place in a garden.

Kirkus Reviews

First there were guerrilla knitters, now sneaky artists. Folks who want to create fun, temporary works of art for public places will have plenty of inspiration here. Novelist and picture-book writer Jocelyn turns her talents to crafty things. Using everyday objects, preferably things pilfered from a recycling bin, people can unleash their inner artists to make whimsical creations out of buttons, twist ties, old magazines and cards, paper plates and other common items. Introduced with the proviso that these objets d'art be "easy to install and effortless to remove," each project is designed for fun. With photos showing faces made of cut-out noses, eyes and mouths from magazines, amusing speech bubbles, adorable paper creations in matchboxes, tiny paper clotheslines, and Swedish fish hanging off of coffee cups, among others, this is an April Fooler's dream come true. Wouldn't it be fun to sneak a little cork boat into a public fountain and watch the reactions? Or leave a penny on colorful paper and see if someone picks it up? Teachers could adapt some of the ideas for the classroom, like making encouraging locker tags or leaving funny speech bubbles inside favorite books. Scout leaders will find new ideas here as well. Good fun, even for those who do not consider themselves artists. (Nonfiction. 8 & up)

School Library Journal (Fri Mar 01 00:00:00 CST 2013)

Gr 2-5 From sweet to silly to sly, this collection of visual surprises will offer crafty tricksters plenty of inspiration. Intended purely for fun-like a good April Fool's joke-an introductory note cautions against ill intent or damage to property. Additional introductory material outlines sources for tools and supplies (mostly stuff found in homes and classrooms), lettering, and "Getting Sneaky!" which addresses the where, when, and how of pulling off the pranks. Involvement ranges from the practically spontaneous "Seeing Red," requiring simply a bit of brightly colored yarn or pipe cleaners wrapped around some dreary exterior surface, to more involved offerings like "Taglines," a gift-tag-styled greeting for attaching to a locker or backpack. Several ideas, like "Post a Poem," using sticky notes, or "Library Shouts," promoting favorite books, offer classroom and special-day fodder. Each idea, accompanied with a full-page color photo, begins with suggestions on where to install the surprise, lists materials, gives construction directions in from one to six easy steps, and then shares "How to Sneak." Several projects have ideas for variations using different materials or changing the design slightly. Set this one out and expect surprising things to begin happening soon. Carol S. Surges, Longfellow Middle School, Wauwatosa, WI