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***AWARD OF EXCELLENCE 1997***

Be creative, try something new! This beautiful beading book and kit encourages children to design their own jewellery. The book is an excellent guide to 19 projects, and includes easy-to-follow instructions accompanied by great pictures. The plentiful bead kit includes a variety of beads, which are all made from glass, tigertail, nylon cord, spacer beads, charms, flexible needles, and a number of findings and clasps. Our testers especially liked the flexible needle that made sorting and stringing small beads easier. You will need to come up with a few additional items from around the house and children under 10 will require some adult assistance. Overall this is a fantastic kit, which will delight any young person.

***AWARD OF EXCELLENCE 1997***

You won't get bored with this book of 15 classic board games! This unique book includes the history, instructions, playing pieces and game boards for Checkers, 3-D Tic Tac Toe, Roundabouts, Hasami Shogi, Go, Hex, Fandango, Mancala, Cats and Dogs, Brax, Hoppers, Dalmatian Pirates and Volga Bulgars, Nine Men's Morris, Backgammon and Solitaire. All games were carefully selected because of their straightforward rules, appeal to a wide age range and strategy. This sturdy spiral bound book with a plastic pouch for the glass playing pieces and dice kept our testers busy for hours. NOTE: Great for bringing along on trips or anywhere a wait is anticipated.

***AWARD OF EXCELLENCE 1997***

WOW! A treasury of intriguing, eye-opening activities that helped our testers understand a wide spectrum of geography topics from trash science and population to rocks, navigation, astronomy and more! A beautifully designed hands-on book that is a geography museum! This museum is full of activities and exhibits that our testers, parents and grandparents could not put down.

***AWARD OF EXCELLENCE 1997***

Explore the ways of science with this entertaining museum in a book! Our testers enjoyed reading and experimenting with the 50 activities described. Whether it was growing bacteria found in their mouths or roasting a hot dog slice with the included fresnel lens our testers were eager to take out the book and explore the wonders of science. NOTE: The experiments are easy enough to read, but the explanations in some cases are difficult, so adult help may be needed.

***AWARD OF EXCELLENCE 1997***

Round up the neighbourhood, and let's have a party! This sturdy, spiral bound, full-colour book provides virtually endless face painting/body art ideas. Securely attached to the book is a paint tray containing six pots of paint and one brush. Paints apply easily, stay on for hours and then wash off cleanly with soap and water. Testers and parents alike loved everything about these water-based, non-toxic paints!

***AWARD OF EXCELLENCE 1997***

This sticky jelly-like substance was a real hit with our testers. Icky Poo comes with two sticky ropes, and an activity book describing things to do (games, etc.) with Icky Poo. Our testers enjoyed zinging, zapping, stretching, twisting and twirling this weird stuff. WARNING: Icky Poo does stick to hair, mirrors and latex paint.

***AWARD OF EXCELLENCE 1997***

Incredible is an understatement when describing this fabulous modelling clay instruction book, complete with eight great colours of polymer clay. Use the blue, black, green, purple, brown, white, yellow or red clay to make any one of the beautiful bead designs for earrings, necklaces or ornaments. Ideas abound in this high quality book with incredibly easy-to-follow instructions that will stimulate any creative imagination. NOTE: Adult supervision is required for oven use.

***AWARD OF EXCELLENCE 1997***

This kid's guide to messing around in the dirt was enjoyed by all of our testers. The book includes humorous and detailed illustrations showing gardening basics (from Getting Your Garden Ready to Gardening Pests and Friends), seeds (pumpkins, peas, tomatoes, radishes, flowers) and trowel. The easy-to-wipe pages allowed the book to be taken outside for lots of educational instruction. A lovely gift for any child.

***AWARD OF EXCELLENCE 1997***

This is the ultimate travel backseat survival kit! The multi-media three-ring book contains hundreds of activities (car games, car rituals, mini-mysteries, magic, hand games, detective skills, license plate bingo, songs, etc.) to keep youngsters entertained for hours on long journeys. The kit includes a plastic pouch filled with accessories to perform some of the activities and a clip-board full of paper and pencil games. This book was fought over so, kids be warned, adults liked this too, so guard it or lose it! Warrantied for thousands of miles and endorsed by the Save the Parents Society!

***AWARD OF EXCELLENCE 1997***

Twenty-three brain teasing solitary games are provided in this compact take anywhere book. The book includes, hints, solutions, illustrations, difficulty key, two peg boards (attached to the book) and a pouch holding 44 pegs. Our testers had hours of quiet time trying out different strategies to the games.

***AWARD OF EXCELLENCE 1997***

Ready, set, go....domestic Olympics, here we come! This simple to use stop watch was thoroughly enjoyed by all of our testers. Our testers attempted to beat the 73 records provided in the book, created other games or simply liked to time their everyday events. Whether teeth counting, shoelace tying, floss writing, or channel surfing our testers did not want to take off their watches. NOTE: The stop watch does not have a break-away neck cord.

***AWARD OF EXCELLENCE 1997***

String Games from around the world goes way beyond cats cradle. This durable book contains clear illustrated instructions for seven string tricks and includes background information about the game, the area, and about a child from that part of the world. Games cover a variety of abilities, ranging from challenging to extremely difficult. A great travel and quiet time activity. For beginners, parental assistance would make learning more fun. NOTE: Children may need someone to turn the page when both hands and sometimes a foot are tied up!