Some of the advice here is terrible... Regular Monokote on a lightweight balsa framed model that can fly on rubber bands is a sure way to kill the model, because the plastic shrinks tight enough to warp even well built structures. Monokote will crush a lightweight wing as it shrinks.
There are a dozen other specialty coverings designed for lightweight airframes, so if you don't want to go the route of tissue and doped paint (which is likely what is recommended by the instructions), then do a lot of research first and get whatever matches your model and skills. Just realize that heat-shrink plastic films can be tricky to work with since too strong of a film can warp or break the structure, and the lighter weight films will burn through with even a tiny bit too much heat.
Practicing on a second fake wing or fuselage might be the way to go... Build a simple box or fake wing section out of spare balsa wood, and try to cover it with your covering of choice. Practice makes perfect.
As for glue, CA glues are often a good choice for balsa models but if the plans call for epoxy in certain places, then you need to think really hard before deviating from the recommendations. Thick CA is pretty strong, but it may be too brittle for things like wing spar to fuselage joins or motor mounts. When using CA, if there are gaps in the parts you are joining then you need to use the thicker glues. The thin CA is great for parts that fit well together, but it also will flow very fast and you might glue your fingers to the parts without even realizing it until your fingers suddenly get hot (CA glue releases heat as it cures). Follow the directions and you'll be fine, and then you can experiment with your *second* model
