nonfiction; knitting. These are larger than I'd like (mostly about 7" tall) but that allows for more detail I guess. I made a full size penguin (minus the yellow emperor species markings) and modified the bat pattern to make two smaller versions (because bats in these parts are tiny!) using my random stash of yarn and they turned out pretty nicely. The inserted pipe cleaners (sorry, "chenille stems") work pretty well to provide bone structure and shape.
The patterns utilized regular knitting needles (knit flat, then sewn up with side seams, rather than knit in the round with double-pointed needles), so even if you are intimidated by dpns, this could be worth checking out from your library. ( )

Knit Your Own Zoo is great for kids and adults who love fun.

Whether knitters or not, readers will enjoy the range of cool creatures and be quickly choosing favorites, like the ring-tailed lemur! ( )

I knitted the giant panda from this collection, and the pattern had some pretty egregious errors. The row count is off in the middle of the bear's belly, and at one point the pattern says to use white when clearly you should be using black. I did manage to rip out the incorrect section and re-do it the correct way.

All of these finished objects are about 90% sewing, but the patterns just say "sew together" or "sew into shape" "sew legs". Incredibly unhelpful. I might end up with a panda-bear-skin rug instead of a stuffed animal. ( )

Easy-to-follow patterns for 24 animals

Some of the patterns seem unduly fussy, but the fruit bat with silky wings that can hang upside down is over the top precious, as are the trio of meerkats that remind me of the coffee bar creatures in "Men in Black." Also find a giant anteater, an armadillo, and a ring-tailed lemur along with the more common lions and tigers and bears. ( )