TEXTILES. By Susan Niner Janes. Watts Pounds 9.99 each

Children love comics and cartoons, and most would enjoy having a go at creating their own characters. In Cartoons and Animation they are provided with a developmental guide to how characters are put together and made to work. As with all the books in this series, a general introduction is followed by lists of materials and where they can be found. Children are introduced to the nature of characterisation - circles and curves describe friendly characters, triangular faces and features can look threatening - and taken through actions, background, atmosphere, storyboards, speech and movement. They are also introduced to three-dimensional animation and given the know-how to make their own version of Wallace and Gromit.

This series is clear and comprehensive, introducing readers to sophisticated ideas through challenging but achievable projects. Textiles introduces a range of fabrics and techniques, including shisha (Indian mirror embroidery), while Painting tackles colour-mixing, water, poster and acrylic painting, wet and dry painting, dripping, pouring and splattering, and textures and mood. This step-by-step approach provides an invaluable language of art linked to a glossary of artists.