Whether your gift list includes a friend with a sweet tooth, a gourmet cook, a chocolate lover, or a relative who loves hiking, you'll find the perfect present here. And by making and decorating a reusable container or adding an extra present, you'll create a unique gift your friend can enjoy long after the edible present is gone!"

     This appealing new title from the "Kids Can Do It" series contains scrumptious recipes and ideas for packaging the food items into lovely gifts. The author is a children's book editor who previously wrote _Bake It and Build It_ and _Make Amazing Cakes_. The book contains over 30 recipes for the microwave and/or the conventional oven or stove. There are a number of safety tips and cautions for children at the beginning, including a nut allergy warning. Many of the recipes will be enjoyed by children like the almond bark, the mice truffles, and the fudge. The book also includes recipes for mixes for cookies and muffins, seasonings, honey mustard and thyme oil which would be nice for adults. The book's colorful and careful design adds to the clarity of presentation. The ingredients (listed in both imperial and metric measures) and kitchen items required are listed in one area. Then colourful bars divide up each text area. Next a step-by-step explanation on how to make the food item is detailed. The final section describes easy ideas for packaging the food in appropriate containers like recycled berry baskets. These ideas nicely incorporate recycling in the kitchen and are useful ideas for other kinds of gift giving. Also included are good tips on mailing your gift.

     Although some adult assistance in the kitchen and with the containers is required, this is an excellent book for public and school libraries. Family literacy programs will also like the opportunities presented for parent-child participation in the reading and activity ideas. One criticism of the instructions is that they don't explain the type of paint which would be best on the containers which is important as certain paints contain solvents.

Recommended.