Warning: This is a coloring book. An awesome coloring book, true – but definitely a coloring book. Just wanted to make that clear for those working in school and public libraries.
Is the world ready for a coffee table-worthy coloring book? Well, that’s what we have on our hands here. Inventive, beautiful, and inspiring, it stands head and shoulders above the traditional. The Coloring Book should be given out with vaccinations. While not suitable for a library collection, Tullet’s book is an unquestionably wonderful choice for the children you know.
When you title your coloring book “The Coloring Book” you’d better create something definitive. No disappointments here. In appearances, The Coloring Book is one man going wild with a Sharpie. Full of doodles, activities, designs, and full-blown original characters, it makes you begin to wonder why all coloring books can’t be like this. Each turn of the page uncovers something that kids won’t be able to resist.
Tullet has created a long line of coloring and activity books for both French and American audiences. This is his forte, and it shows. He has a knack for turning the ordinary into something special. Take for example, the page at the beginning of the book with three overlapping oblong areas labeled yellow, red, blue. The text encourages readers to “See what happens when you mix the colors”. A simple, instructive, fun way to start out a coloring book. The pages that follow are full of these moments that encourage interaction and creativity.
Beautiful to look at, fun to use. Clear space on the coffee table.
6 comments
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March 11, 2009 at 8:04 am
Lynn Rutan
This is awesome, thanks! I ordered two of these immediately.
March 11, 2009 at 11:16 am
Scope Notes
As you can tell from the review, I think you’ll be pretty happy you did. Did you order them for the famous, guest reviewing twins that I’ve seen at your blog, Bookends? Let me know how they go over!
March 11, 2009 at 9:48 am
Amy Planchak Graves
I wonder if something cool (maybe even explosive) would happen if I put it on my coffee table next to my copy of Susan Striker’s Anti-Coloring Book…
March 11, 2009 at 11:32 am
Scope Notes
I think the resulting explosion would be a positive one. I checked out the “Anti-Coloring Book” and I see many similarities between the two titles. “Anti” is more open ended in terms of kids adding-to or creating scenes. “Coloring Book” also has creative activities, but they have more to do with the interaction between color and space, and less to do with original drawings. I think both are good.
March 14, 2009 at 9:12 pm
Elizabeth
Is it bad that I kind of want this for myself?
I’m about 20 years older than what I’m presuming is its target audience, by the way.
March 14, 2009 at 9:51 pm
Scope Notes
I kinda want to start coloring mine too. Thankfully, my nephew’s birthday is coming up soon to take it off my hands.