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Book Review:    The Incredible Clay Book

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Children's Book Review: The Incredible Clay Book


Published by: Klutz Press

Released: 1994

Reviewed: February 2005

Our Recommended Age: 8-up

Our Rating: A

 

 

 

 

 

Buy: The Incredible Clay Book/Includes 8 Clay Colors at Amazon.com.

 

 


Crafts made with polymer clay have become very popular. There are many artisans making a living making beads, for example, with this easy-to-use clay. Turning kids on to the craft makes a lot of sense. With the polymer clay medium, kids can truly express their creativity and produce little permanent works of art that often serve a purpose. It's a very tangible and satisfying craft.

 

The Incredible Clay Book offers kids both the materials (it includes 8 ounces of quality polymer clay in a range of basic colors) and the instructions to create some delightful crafts. The instructions are clear, and the abundant examples are inspirational. If children are reluctant at all, or stumped, this colorful book will fill them with the motivation and inspiration to get started. 

 

Of course, children are cautioned that baking the clay is an adult activity. Parents need to be on hand to bake children's creations. Readers of the book are told to pay extra attention to baking "rules", including oven temperature. Using an oven thermometer is suggested, and if we had heeded that advice, we wouldn't have "overdone" our first batch of clay creations. Do ensure that your oven is neither too hot nor cool.  

 

Clay included with the book are white, yellow, red, black, green, blue, brown, and purple. A color mixing chart is included for kids who want to blend the clay to make new colors (the colors mix well). Clay can be shaped into balls, logs, and flattened with a rolling pin. 

 

Instructions a huge range of clay creations fill the spiralbound book's pages. Adorable animals (like a skunk, porcupine, wiener dog, snake, cat, and so forth), little vehicles (taxi, little red wagon, etc.), and more objects. Objects can be flat, such as puzzles or tic-tac-toe boards, or rounded and shaped, like soccer balls and chubby kittens. There are finger puppets, gorgeous flowers, barrettes, earrings, finger hats, jar lids, a tooth fairy tooth holder, miniature pots and holders, picture frames, and a wide assortment of beads for jewelry (including some very fancy ones such as millefiori beads). 

 

The included clay will keep kids busy with a number of projects. If they run out, they can order more from the publishers, but it probably makes more sense to make a trip to virtually any craft store to purchase more clay (polymer clay).

 

Our Rating:


 

A

 

[For more information, or to buy: The Incredible Clay Book/Includes 8 Clay Colors]
 

 

 

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Reviewed February 2005
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