Native Crafts

By Maxine Trottier (Kids Can Press)

This is an educational and fun book for all ages. The First People of North America relied on items found in nature to make everything from clothing to toys. With the ideas and information included in this book, you can try it for yourself.

There are 16 original craft ideas presented in this book. Each one has easy step-by-step directions. There are also wonderful illustrations of the various steps of each craft along with a photo of each completed project.

You can try your hand at making jewelry from seeds, beads, clay, and other items. The helpful pictures and easy-to-follow directions in this book will help you make beaded bracelets, a bear claw necklace, and a few other pieces of jewelry.

You can also try your hand at making other crafts. How about making your own dolls out of corn husks, corncobs, or clay? You can make your own music with a turtle rattle, hoop drum, or rasp. One of my favorite crafts in this book is for making moccasins. The book is full of these ideas and more.

This book has great craft ideas, and it is also educational. Make sure you read the explanations of why and how each craft was traditionally made. The introduction in this book also contains wonderful information, history, and a map of territories.