Crafty Chloe

Crafty Chloe
Written by Kelly DiPucchio
Illustrated by Heather Ross
Atheneum Books for Young Readers, c2012. Unpaged picture book.

Chloe's not good at, or interested in, what other girls are doing. She is the master of all things crafty, such as altering her own clothes and making beautiful noodle jewelry. She "knows that anything becomes less boring with googly eyes on it." When it comes time to buy a present for her best friend Emma, she has just the thing in mind: a fancy doll. There's an unfortunate run-in at the toy store, as Chloe runs into snooty girl London, who snatches up the doll. Her creativity prevails as she decides to make an even better gift! In the end, all friendships are restored and Emma loves Chloe's beautiful homemade present. The appeal of this picture book is that it's adorable, but not overly saccharine. The message is a great one for girls, as it encourages individuality and creativity. www.CraftyChloe.com has instructions for all of the book's cute crafts!