By Becky Sher

McClatchy Newspapers 

With all the talk about "living green," it's refreshing to remember that to kids, recycling is just kind of natural.

Got an old box? It could be a fort, a doll bed or a fire station. A used egg carton? Ditto -- the possibilities are endless.

So even though "What Can You Do with an Old Red Shoe?" is subtitled "A Green Activity Book About Reuse," it isn't pushy. Instead, the book, by Anna Alter (Christy Ottaviano Books, $16.95), plays off kids' natural desire to reuse and recycle. Illustrated instructions help kids create a dozen new projects from worn or used items.

The red shoe in the title becomes a planter. Empty tin cans become lanterns. Last year's calendar becomes a perpetual calendar. The book is aimed at 4- through 7-year-olds, so the instructions are mostly illustrated, featuring sweet animals creating the crafts. And aside from some tips in the back, the book isn't preachy; it simply reinforces the idea that recycling and reusing is fun. Plain and simple.

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