This is so great! I have read this to my daughter (2 yrs old) over and over. She requests it by saying "Phut, Phut, Phut", which is her favorite part. We love the opportunities to dramatize sounds, which in turn my daughter mimics. This keeps her interested and enables her to "help me read" the book. Nearly ever page has something she will identify. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

This book is mainly filled with the iron-on transfer patterns. There are only two pages of instruction. The patterns are cute, with teddy bears, clowns, suns, stars, and other animals. There are two types of patterns, one that is unmarked so you can iron-on to your fabric and the same pattern with instructions on the color and stitch so the image comes out the way the author has it in the photos. I think it may be a little too complicated for the age range specified. The "my first" part of the title may give the impression that it's a good book for younger children, but I think the stitches may be too difficult for them to learn. I think it's a good book for pre-teen range children interested in embriodery.

The applique in this book is wonderful! My 2-year-old really liked the simple verses and pretty pictures.

The majority of the crafts are not practical for classroom use, because of the materials they require (felt, for example, doesn't happen to be something my school provides), and the cultural information preceding the activities is so little that any classroom time spent engaged in such activities would require additional research to be done by the teacher, or else would be merely an art lesson.

Also, the pictures are not even in color--entirely in black and blue.

I do not recommend this book.