Craft author Judy Ann Sadler’s newest book is the answer for anyone seeking to entertain and inspire preschoolers. It contains 175 simple projects that utilize items commonly found about the house – everything from buttons to yarn.

This oversize paperback has a comfortable feel, and its soft paper and explanatory black line illustrations are reminiscent of childhood colouring books. After a brief introduction by the author and a discussion of necessary craft supplies, the text is arranged alphabetically by materials. The vertical edge of each page has a darkened border containing an upper and lower case letter and a graphic of the material to be used. This is helpful for beginning readers and kids who don’t yet read.

Most crafts are simple enough to be outlined on a single page, usually in three or four clear steps. A You Will Need box lists the required supplies.Each step has its own diagram, culminating in a picture of the finished project.

Although the soft cover may wear out very quickly with library use, this volume is highly useful and child-friendly, with inexpensive projects ranging from clothespeg dragonflies to button castanets. A good choice for anyone who works with small children, The Kids Can Press Jumbo Book of Easy Crafts will soon be a well-worn, well-thumbed resource.