By Colorado Kids Advisory Board member Tom Roberts

Title: THE AMAZING OUTDOOR ACTIVITY BOOK
Author: Angela Wilkes
Illustrator: Designer, Jane Bull; Photographer, Dave King
Publisher: Dorling Kindersley
No. Pages: 64

The Amazing Outdoor Activity Book is a book packed with things to do when you're bored. It has cooking, gardening, art, and more. Unfortunately, it's based on results that happen if the project goes perfectly.

I did "Plant a Garden," which was difficult because the dirt in my backyard was really dry and hard to dig. On the other hand, when I made garlic bread and heated it on the barbecue grill, it was easy as pie. At the top of each page, there are stars to show how long an activity takes to complete. One star means an hour, two stars means an afternoon, and three stars means a day or more. You also need a lot of supplies for every activity, so if you do an experiment or project, I suggest you make sure you have everything you need before you start.

I would recommend this book for kids ages 7 to 11. You will need adult help for using knives and for cooking with heat, but older kids can do that unassisted. If you like this book, you should check out other books filled with science experiments or activities. (October, 2001)