Kids' Compter Creations

Written and illustrated by Carol Sabbeth
Williamson Publishing, $12.95

ISBN 0-913589-92-6

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Kids, Computers & Homework

By James Lengel and Diane Kendall
Random House Electronic Publishing, $16, grades 3-8

ISBN 0-679-76007-5

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Review by Etta Wilson

Computers and kids: More than fun

Most kids, even very young kids, take to computers like flies to honey. Statistics tell us that 42 percent of U.S. households with kids have a computer. The challenge for these parents is helping their children find worthwhile activities beyond playing endless computer games. Several new books have appeared recently that show how to employ the computer to stir imaginations and enhance long-term learning.

Carol Sabbeth brings kids her expertise as a graphic designer and teacher of computer art in Kids' Computer Creations. Traditional art and craft activities combined with computer techniques offer more than 50 ways for kids to explore the versatility of their computers while creating imaginative crafts such as weather vanes, castles, smiley keyboard art, and fortune cookies with riddles inside. Numerous sidebars serve up valuable computer knowledge with fun headings like "Coughing Computers" (about viruses) "Does Your Font Have Feet?" and "Sending Letters without Stamps."

Designated for ages 4-10 (6-10 might be better), the book has very little technical information but can be used on any PC. Because of the drawing component, it might be better suited to a Macintosh platform. Some activities are just as easily used without a computer.

"Back to school" used to mean new pencils and erasers, but chances are your child is now using a computer at school, and half of all parents of school-age children in America have bought computers for their children's schoolwork. More than 90 percent of U.S. elementary schools have PCs. Now you can help your children improve their homework assignments with Kids, Computers & Homework by James Lengel and Diane Kendall. Written for kids in grades 3-8, each chapter presents step-by-step instructions for turning homework assignments into computer projects. It also explores standard software programs like Microsoft Word, Kid Pix, ClarisWorks, and CD-ROMs like Grolier's Encyclopedia. A useful appendix has more information on connecting to the Internet and Web sites, including addresses of government agencies divided by school subject areas, and a software guide.

For the more serious and older student, this book covers a very broad range of activities from organizing a simple slide production to animation. It will be a standard for students using computers for a long time. Diane Kendall is the editor of Children's Software, a quarterly newsletter for parents and teachers. She is a former college instructor and classroom teacher. Jim Lengel is Professor of Communication at Boston University and a former consultant for Apple Computer.

Etta Wilson is Children's Book Editor for this publication. She can be reached via e-mail at etta_wilson@bookpage.com.

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