Found and made: the art of recycling by Lisa Holzl

Walker Books, 2014. ISBN 9781922179098.
(Age: 9+) Recommended. Non Fiction, Recycling, Art. An introduction followed by a chapter on what to collect for your recycling kit, is followed by eleven chapters, each outlining a different art project made from recycled materials. Subtitled, Activities to turn your trash into treasure, any child, parent or teacher will expect lots of ideas inside. They will not be disappointed.
From how to make a bird using gift wrapping, wire and buttons, to making a funny face using a bottle, feathers, paperclips and bottle tops, each activity is designed to reuse scrap material found in any home or classroom.
All lashed together with lots of imagination using the recycling kit made at the start, filled with oodles of trash, this treasure box of a book will be the starting point for many projects.
I love the idea of the collage picture, and the self portrait using string, and the circular weaving, all recycling common bits and pieces. These will be great wet afternoon activities or activities made to encourage kids to use their imagination with material once thrown out, reminding them that the resources of the world should be reused not disposed of. Called upcycling, the recycling of materials is given a sound base.
The whole is attractively presented and rounded off with several pages of tips, including how to make your own glue, a glossary, bibliography and detailed index.
Fran Knight