Instruct: Classify a given Amazon review as either positive or negative.
Query: Very good for beginners

As a painter, familiar with acrylics and oils, I found some frustration when I tried pastels. I mean, how hard can it be, they're just fancy crayons, right? Wrong. Lots of little differences in application techniques and blendings and materials etc. This book walks you thru all the basics and gives you some practice at the fundamentals. You will probably need more instruction later but this will get you started and help you overcome the early frustrations. Only reason I didn't give it more stars... it is a little short! But good value for the bucks.