Tag Archives: DIY

MG – 15-Minute Foodie (Series NF)

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Borgert-Spaniol, Megan. 15-Minute Foodie. Capstone Press, 2023. $25.54 ea. or $204.32 Set of 8. 32 p. Grades 4-8. 

Colorful Foods in 15 Minutes or Less. 978-1-669-06153-3.
Eye-opening Breakfasts in 15 Minutes or Less. 978-1-669-06159-5.
Holiday Recipes in 15 Minutes or Less. 978-1-669-06165-6.
Party Foods in 15 Minutes or Less. 978-1-669-03-300-4.
Super Snacks in 15 Minutes or Less. 978-1-669-03-294-6.
Sweet Treats in 15 Minutes or Less. 978-1-669-03-288-5.
Tasty Meals in 15 Minutes or Less. 978-1-669-03-82-3.
Vegetarian Recipes in 15 Minutes or Less. 978-1-669-06171-7.

Each of these books presents thirteen recipes of sweet and savory varieties with colorful photos of the process and the resulting foods, making it easy and enticing for young chefs to tackle the options. A two-page introduction about cooking prepares cooks with basic supplies, kitchen tips, and a chart of standard/metric conversions. Each recipe is then showcased on a two-page spread, with ingredients, supplies needed, and directions to make the recipe. Each book is colorful and inviting, with recipes young people would like to eat or share. The recipes are meant to be made “in fifteen minutes or less,” and they stay true to that possibility. Recipes in Tasty Meals range from breakfast to dinner, including banana oat pancakes, ranch chicken quesadilla, taco scoops, and pad thai. Party Foods includes recipes for ‘nacho mountain,’ cheese fondue, frozen bananas, and raspberry sherbet punch. Super Snacks showcases chili cheese popcorn, parmesan crisps, avocado toast, and sunny smoothies. Sweet Treats includes coconut macaroons, watermelon slushie, peach grahams, and caramel pretzel milkshake. None of the recipes overlap in the books. My tween daughter and I successfully made guacamole, toaster panzanella, crunchy cucumber bites, decked-out pretzels, choco-berry salad, and sunny smoothies. All were tasty, and our family most enjoyed the guacamole, choc-berry salad (minus the chocolate), and the sunny smoothies. Each book ends with one page offering three print and three internet resources (again, all resources are different in each title). The only ‘missing ingredient’ is serving size and numbers. Most recipes seem right for 2-4 people, with the party recipes yielding enough for 10-12, but it would be helpful to know approximate yields.

THOUGHTS: These colorful and upbeat books provide a nutritious variety of foods that young chefs and their families or friends can truly enjoy. Bravo to author Borgert-Spaniol for the realistic and varied choices. 

641.8 Cooking; Meals; Snacks; Party Foods

Elem. – Creepy Crafts and More (Series NF)

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Owen, Ruth. Creepy Crafts and More. Bearport, 2021. $18.95 ea. $113.70 set of 6. 24 p. Grades 2-5.

Aliens. 978-1-647-47190-3.
Ghosts. 978-1-647-47185-9.
Monsters. 978-1-647-47187-3.
Spiders. 978-1-647-47189-7.
Vampires. 978-1-647-47188-0.
Witches. 978-1-647-47186-6.

Creepy is always popular with elementary students, and this series of books will add to the giggles and shivers. An appealing combination of crafts, snacks, facts, and history, Vampires provides hours of entertainment. All pages are illustrated, with attractive graphic design and bold colors. Craft activities contain clear, step-by-step instructions, plentiful illustrations, and no shortage of delightfully bloody details. The recipe for Vampire Fang cookies is simple enough for small hands, with adult assistance, and would make a fantastic Halloween treat. Interspersed in the pages are nuggets of vampire lore, as well as a page devoted to the super-icky vampire bat. A table of contents, glossary and index are included, as well as a selection of “Read More” suggestions and “Learn More Online” web resources.

THOUGHTS: These enticing books should be a hit with browsers, as well as readers interested in the crafts. They are hard to put down.  

745.5  Crafts          Nancy Nadig, Penn Manor SD

Elem. – 10-Minute Makers (Series NF)

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10-Minute Makers. Capstone Press, 2020. $23.99 ea. $239.90 set of 10. 32 p. Grades 3-6. 

Enz, Tammy. 10-Minute Game and Gadget Projects. 978-1-496-68090-7.
—. 10-Minute Upcycled Projects. 978-1-496-68091-4.
Harbo, Christopher. 10-Minute Drawing Projects. 978-1-496-68089-1.
—. 10-Minute Origami Projects. 978-1-496-68088-4.
Schuette, Sarah L. 10-Minute Art Projects. 978-1-543-59094-4.
—. 10-Minute Duct Tape Projects. 978-1-543-59098-2.
—. 10-Minute Engineering Projects. 978-1-543-59093-7.
—. 10-Minute Paper Projects. 978-1-543-59096-8.
—. 10-Minute Science Projects. 978-1-543-59095-1.
—. 10-Minute Yarn Projects. 978-1-543-59097-5.

10-Minute Engineering Projects contains thirteen different engineering projects that students can complete with simple materials from around the house. Many projects, including Parking Garage, Kickball, and Marble A-Maze-ing require simple materials such as cardboard, tape and scissors, while others require materials that might be a little more difficult to find. For example, Magnet Plane requires a craft magnet and a bar magnet to function. Each project is written in simple step-by-step numerical directions and are accompanied by pictures of each step. Also included are photographs of the final project as well as tips for using it. All of the projects range in complexity from three steps to six, but they all have one thing in common: engineering is at the core of every one. Every project shows how engineers incorporate movement, balance, and stability to solve puzzles and make work easier.

THOUGHTS: In recent years, the push for STEM has become greater in school districts around Pennsylvania. This book is perfect for elementary teachers or makerspace facilitators who may need a quick and easy project to use in their classroom. But it is also perfect for young students who have an interest in engineering. Each project is written in kid-friendly language, and full of color photographs demonstrate what the product should look like every step of the way. This book is a great nonfiction addition to any elementary library, especially in schools that are STEM-focused.

620  Engineering          Danielle Corrao, Manheim Central SD

Elementary NF – Shark Lady; Best Athlete series; DIY Day Spa series; Survival Zone series

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Keating, Jess. Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean’s Most Fearless Scientist.  Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, 2017.  9781492642046. Unpaged. $17.99. Gr. K-3.

This is the fascinating story of the scientist Eugenie Clark, who is better known as the “Shark Lady.” Keating begins with a look at Eugenie as a child, who even then showed an interest in this marine animal. We see her visiting an aquarium, diving into the ocean at Atlantic City, gazing at her own small aquarium, and sitting in a library reading books about different species of sharks.  While in college, the reader learns that some professors discouraged Eugenie from pursuing a career in marine biology, but she achieved her dream in spite of this. Clark’s career began in a laboratory, but she was eager to “make her own discoveries” and began diving in the ocean to continue her research. The reader sees the illustrations of three fish species that Eugenie discovered.  Clark wanted to prove that sharks were intelligent creatures and became the first scientist to train one to receive food by pushing a bell.  The illustrations by Marta Álvarez Miguéns are engaging and give the reader an insight into what the scientist is thinking. On a two page spread where Eugenie is pretending that she is walking underwater at the aquarium, the illustrator draws fish swimming within its rooms and darting out from behind columns.  Fish also appear in the library scene when she is reading books. One small problem is the description of the underwater scene at Atlantic City because it is doubtful that the water was as clear as pictured and described.  Still, readers will enjoy poring over the drawings, especially the one of the giant jaws. The back matter includes a timeline of Clark’s life and interesting facts about sharks are found on a page called “Shark Bites.” The author’s note gives some further details about Clark’s life and the Mote Marine Research Laboratory where she worked.  Thoughts: This picture book biography should be added to every elementary collection and not just because shark books are always in high demand by young students. Keating’s book contains an important message in that it shows children that they should not be discouraged from following their dreams.  However, the author also makes it clear that following a dream takes hard work and study.  This book is an inspiration to future marine biologists and is a great choice for any child who is curious about sharks.

Picture Book Biography             Denise Medwick, West Allegheny SD

 

Make Me the Best Athlete. Abdo, 2017. $22.95ea. $183.60 set of 8. 48p. Gr. 4-6.

Ackerman, Jon. Make Me the Best Volleyball Player. 978-1-680-78492-3.

Graves, Will. Make Me the Best Basketball Player. 978-1-6807-8487-9.

Kortemeier, Todd. Make Me the Best Baseball Player. 978-1-6807-8486-2.

Kortemeier, Todd. Make Me the Best Hockey Player. 978-1-6807-8489-3.

Kortemeier, Todd. Make Me the Best Soccer Player. 978-1-6807-8491-6.

Myers, Jess. Make Me the Best Lacrosse Player. 978-1-6807-8490-9.

Myers, Dan. Make Me the Best Football Player. 978-1-6807-8488-6.

Stone, Ken. Make Me the Best at Track and Field. 978-1-6807-8485-5.

The Make Me the Best Athlete series introduces readers to various drills/tips they can use to improve their skills in specific sports. Each title features chapters that focus on a single skill and a representative player that exemplifies that skill. For example, the Make Me the Best Football Player volume features chapters titled “Pass Like Aaron Rodgers” and “Catch Like Julio Jones.” Each chapter provides a brief biographical sketch of the featured athlete as well as discussion about the importance of developing skills in order to play the player’s position. Specific tips and drills are presented that readers can use to help them improve their personal play. THOUGHTS: These volumes are clearly organized, make good use of photos, and feature popular and contemporary athletes (older athletes are also spotlighted in boxes throughout the text). The drills are clearly explained and require only basic equipment any player of the sport under discussion would own. Recommend to athletes looking to improve their play.

796 Sports      Elizabeth Henry, Lampeter-Strasburg SD

 

Andrus, Aubre. DIY Day Spa. Capstone, 2017. $23.49ea. $93.96 set of 4. 48p. Gr. 4-8.

Bathe, Buff, and Beautify: DIY Crafts and Recipes for Natural Body Care. 978-1-5157-3446-8.

Gloss, Floss, and Wash: DIY Crafts and Recipes for a Fresh Face and Teeth.
978-1-5157-3447-5.

Lotions, Potions, and Polish: DIY Crafts and Recipes for Hands, Nails, and Feet.
978-1-5157-3445-1.

Spray, Smooth, and Shampoo: DIY Crafts and Recipes for Healthy Hair.
978-1-5157-3444-4.

Designed with the tween beauty market in mind, the DIY Day Spa set offers readers a variety of recipes for homemade spa products and instructions for related crafts. All recipes use natural ingredients such as essential oils, honey, spices, oats, lemon, etc. Most recipes contain 3-7 ingredients, most of which can be found in grocery or health food stores and online. Recipes are clearly explained and safety tips are included to make sure products are stored and used properly.  Examples of recipes in the Bathe, Buff, and Beautify volume include Mocha Salt Scrub, Cinnamon Vanilla Whipped Body Butter and Sweet Dreams Cream. Each volume also contains related craft projects to accompany the spa products. Examples of craft projects include a shower pouf, a spa towel wrap, and homemade gift wrap. THOUGHTS: Students who are fans of beauty products will be fans of this series. Recipies are relatively simple and contain commonly acquirable ingredients. Perfect for creating gifts for family or friends, or a great activity for sleepovers or scouting groups.
615; 646 Beauty      Elizabeth Henry, Lampeter-Strasburg SD

 

Perish, Patrick. Survival Zone. Bellwether, 2017. $19.95ea. $239.40 set of 12. 24p. Gr. 3-7.
Survive a Blizzard. 978-1626174412
Survive a Fire. 978-1626175815.
Survive a Flood. 978-1626174429.
Survive a Hurricane. 978-1626174436
Survive a Plane Crash. 978-1626175822.
Survive a Tornado. 978-1626174443.
Survive a Tsunami. 978-1626174450.
Survive an Avalanche. 978-1626175839.
Survive an Earthquake. 978-1626175846.
Survive in the Mountains. 978-1626174467.
Survive in the Woods. 978-1626174474.
Survive on a Desert Island. 978-1626174481.

Each volume of this exciting series opens with a real-life situation in which a person (often a tween or teen) faces a specific potentially life-threatening disaster and survives. Readers will learn about how each disaster develops. The importance of preparation in advance of natural disasters are stressed and specific survival strategies and tips are also described. The text is enhanced by numerous photos, diagrams, and text boxes. THOUGHTS: This series is an engaging page-turner that will interest many readers. Concepts are clearly explained and the survival tips/strategies presented are practical and could be employed by students of all ages. Would be a great non-fiction option for fans of Lauren Tarshis’ I Survived series.

600s Technology      Elizabeth Henry, Lampeter-Strasburg SD