Amazon.com Review
From surprisingly humble beginnings (a purchased sweat suit, or a simple-to-sew jumpsuit, pattern included) comes a lively menagerie of costumes that will delight young kids. To the basic suits of black, white, or gray (a couple use green), add a simple fake fur tabard or hood of varying design and the occasional extra accessory and you get a turtle, chimpanzee, elephant, butterfly, panda, penguin, skunk, stegosaurus, tarantula, vampire bat, and eight other critters; full directions and patterns are given for each. Perhaps the key ingredient in each costume's success is the well-designed face-painting scheme, for which detailed step-by-step instructions are provided. (Snazaroo is actually a brand of face paint available at craft stores, but any brand will do.) Costume construction is mostly easy (straightforward stitching; sometimes fusible web or fabric glue), and each project includes a kid-friendly sidebar that explains a bit about the animal's behavior and/or eating habits so youngsters can practice acting like their chosen creature and even learn a bit about it. One small quibble: the general instructions say the patterns are intended for ages 6 to 12, but the designs are more likely to appeal to ages 3 to 8; the average 10-year-old is likely to find them too juvenile. However, the gridded patterns can be enlarged to any desired size, so it shouldn't be a problem to adjust down for the littlest trick-or-treaters. --Amy Handy
Product Description
Basic sewing techniques are all you need to delight any child who wants to dress up like a bunny, ghost, clown, fairy, mermaid, or dinosaur. Step-by-step instructions and four-color photos guide you through the process of making each costume. Bonus: games to play once the kids are "in character." 64 pages (all in color), 7 1/4 x 9 3/4.
