123 I Can Build! (Starting Art). Irene Luxbacher. Toronto, ON: Kid Can Press, 2009. 24 pp., pbk. & hc., $6.95 (pbk.), $14.95 (hc.). ISBN 978-1-55453-316-9 (pbk.), ISBN 978-1-55453-315-2 (hc.). Subject Heading: Building-Juvenile literature. Grades 1-4 / Ages 6-9. Review by Christina Neigel. **** /4

excerpt:

ARCHITECTURE is the art of making the buildings we live, work and play in. Buildings come in all sorts of shapes and can be made from lots of different materials. Let's build houses and buildings...

As the sixth book in the "Starting Art" series, this colourful introduction to building design is certain to inspire budding architects and engineers into experimenting with design and colour to create interesting structures. This high-quality production, with outstanding resolution, provides very carefully balanced images of "imperfect" creations that are visually compelling. The building examples actually look like things that a child could make.

     What makes this book, and others in the series, so compelling for children and their caregivers is the careful selection of readily available materials and the clear step-by-step instructions. An elaborate castle, a "breezy" birdhouse, and a mushroom mansion are just a few examples of structures that readers can make. The brilliant colours and mixed media work brilliantly with the examples, all of which possess a fun and whimsical feel. Like other works in the series, the book ends with helpful notes to teachers and parents to ensure positive construction experiences as well as a very simple glossary of building terms.

      With its colourful images and well presented text, it would be easy to mistake this book as something for preschoolers. However, the actual projects require a significant amount of fine motor skills that would be more appropriate for young, school aged children. Indeed, its major limitation could be its simplicity. Older children, physically capable of making the structures, may judge the book to be too "young." The reality is that we do judge books by their covers!

      1 2 3 I Can Build! is an excellent book.

Highly Recommended.

Christina Neigel is the program head for the Library and Information Technology Program at the University of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford, BC. She looks forward to including this work when teaching in an upcoming Information Services for Children course.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission.

Published by The Manitoba Library Association ISSN 1201-9364

Hosted by the University of Manitoba.

 

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