Amazing Africa Projects You Can Build Yourself
Illustrated by Megan Stearns
Nomad Press, 2010

While Africa is one continent, it contains many diverse countries. Amazing Africa Projects You Can Build Yourself introduces readers ages 9 and up to the stunning landscapes, ancient civilizations and tribes, unique traditions, and amazing wildlife of the vast African continent.

Through 25 fun projects that use common household supplies and recycled materials, kids will be able to learn what life is like in Africa. Step-by-step instructions show young readers how to make their own shields for an initiation ceremony, cook banana fritters and benne cakes, and design animal masks to commemorate the seasons. Through Amazing Africa Projects, Kids will celebrate Africa and its place in our world.

Winner of the 2010 Silver Moonbeam Award

Reviews:
“Amazing Africa by Carla Mooney is chock full of interesting facts, word helps, and sidebars that complement the great variety of activities. Definitely a book you will use as a regular resource.”

- CALLIOPE Magazine

 
“This book has an enormous amount of information, covering history, occupations, ethnic groups, daily life, geography, recreation, music, and more. The introduction includes a full-page, labeled map of Africa and the surrounding waters. Each chapter is easy to understand, with just enough facts to give readers a picture of this fascinating continent.”

- School Library Journal

 “Casual and informative, this large, attractive, browsable paperback in the Build It Yourself series offers a view of contemporary African life that reaches far beyond the usual scenery-and-wildlife tourists’ perspective.”

- Booklist

George Washington: 25 Great Projects You Can Build Yourself
Illustrated by Sam Carbaugh
Nomad Press, 2010

George Washington: 25 Great Projects You Can Build Yourself offers a fascinating look into the life and times of our nation’s first president. Readers ages 9 and up can explore Washington’s years as a young Virginia gentleman, his military battles, and his political contributions to a fledgling nation. Using common household items and minimal supervision, kids have 25 hands-on activities to help them learn about this legendary figure in American history. Young readers will: create a surveyor’s map, cook Washington’s favorite hoecakes, write with a quill pen, make a replica of Washington’s battle sword, and much more. Along with detailed, step-by-step instructions for each project, George Washington: 25 Great Projects You Can Build Yourself includes biographical sidebars, illustrations, historical facts that allow kids to explore George Washington in a fun, hands-on way.

Review:

The life of George Washington lends itself remarkably well to a variety of kid-friendly crafts that don’t require old-fashioned materials or 18th-century skills. The projects separate biographical chapters that are thorough and clear. Sidebars with vocabulary words, quotes, interesting facts about the man and his time, and “What if?” questions regarding pivotal moments in Washington’s life add to the text. These sidebars, as well as amusing cartoon illustrations, make the subject light and approachable. While the text clearly paints a picture of Washington as a great man and national hero, the author also points out the mistakes he made and how he learned from them, teaching kids an important lesson about failures. While there are many biographies of Washington for this age group, and many books of colonial crafts, this one is unique in its dual purpose and emphasis on accessibility, both in terms of the text and relative ease of the activities.

- School Library Journal

Explorers of the New World: Discover the Golden Age of Exploration With 25 Projects
Nomad Press, July 2011

Explorers of the New World: Discover the Golden Age of Exploration With 25 Projects offers a fascinating look into the explorers and voyages during the Age of Exploration. Readers ages 9 and up can explore the life and voyages of de Gama, Columbus, Magellan, Cabot, Cortes, and more. Using common household items and minimal supervision, kids enjoy 25 hands-on activities to help them learn about these legendary explorers and voyages in world history. Projects include making a star map, creating and using a compass, learning to tie a sailor’s knot, and designing an earth pendant. Along with detailed, step-by-step instructions for each project, Explorers of the New World includes biographical sidebars, engaging illustrations, interesting facts, and vocabulary words that allow kids to explore the Age of Exploration in a fun, hands-on way.

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