Little Woodchucks: Offerman Woodshop’s Guide to Tools and Tomfoolery

Actor Offerman (Good Clean Fun) and woodworker Buchanan deliver a humorous guide to woodworking projects for kids and adults. Instead of purchasing corporate products out of convenience, the authors encourage readers to make things themselves, using tools and their “magic human brain.” They give instructions for 12 projects that vary in difficulty, from simple “toast tongs” to the more complicated sawhorse. An opening chapter instructs readers on how to set up their workshop, including what tools they’ll need, like a handsaw and utility knife, and safety tips, like ensuring kids wear protective goggles and particulate masks. Each project is marked with the targeted age range, the approximate time expected for the craft’s completion, and whether an adult should be present. Standouts include an elaborate planter station, where readers can make “mud pies,” as well as easier “carved creatures,” twigs and tree branches carved to resemble animals like pigs or sheep. Step-by-step directions for each project are provided, and Offerman’s signature wit is on display in the text and the plethora of photos of him hamming it up with kids in the workshop. The result is a boon for parents seeking to get their kids away from screens and immersed in the world around them. (Oct.)