iiiiReader Book Reviews

This is a really cute dragon book. My other dragon books are a little too scary to share with my grandchildren. This book; however; is absolutely family friendly. The dragons are really sweet with adorable, big eyes.

The designs have full backgrounds. However, the designs are a little simpler in nature than many books in this imprint. Because of this, I find it an easy to color book that children will be able to color as well (but would still be a challenge for the very young child.)

There are two copies of each design included in the book. There are instructions (once you have purchased the book in paper format to be able to download the .pdf version. I think that’s great but I am reviewing based on the paper and the book as you receive it you order the paper version.

Continue reading →

I own a quite a few coloring books published by Julia Rivers imprint of Storytroll Studios. This book is by Trixia Hann A. Ocampo, who I believe is a new artist in my collection. I bought this coloring book last year (just before I became quite ill) and haven’t had a chance to review it until now.

What I discovered is that this same book has been re-released this year by the publisher. Nothing different, just a new release, so be careful if you think you may have bought this previously. If you are interested in my take on this practice, you can hear my opinion of the weekly intro to my flip-throughs for this week on my Youtube channel.

The book is filled with doodle creatures, which I really enjoy coloring. I honestly can’t be an overall cohesive theme of wonderland or fairytales that makes sense to me. All I see is a bunch of doodle creatures with a little girl embedded somewhere in the design.

Something feels a bit off to me in the designs as well. There is a use of heavier lines that is a bit off-putting for me. Otherwise, I find the book to be a pretty fun to color doodle creature book. However, it would not be the first one I own that I would pick up to color.

The designs are detailed and some include smaller intricate areas to color.

Continue reading →

I own a number of the Classic Edition coloring books by Charles Santore. This book is very similar in format to those I have purchased before. The artwork is original and a slightly modern interpretation by Mr. Santore. The text is derived from the work of Lewis Caroll.

I like the artwork and that it is slightly grayscale and I plan to use my colored pencils in this book. That won’t interfere with the storybook text. That is what I usually use in storybook coloring books. I like the idea of a keepsake story to pass on to my grandchildren.

The designs are detailed and continue intricate and small areas to color. As it is based on original artwork and is not generally a line drawing interpretation, this was unexpected.

Along with the poem and the designs, there are small color pictures from the illustrated version of this book on the inside front and back covers. That way, you can use similar colors if you so choose.

The book is a larger rather than standard format. The designs are mostly done in line drawing form with some designs having considerable shading included. Those few images border on the edge of being grayscale designs.

The poem and illustrations are set up in true storybook style, with the text on the left hand side (back of page) and the illustration to the right. The illustrations match well with the text on the facing page.

Continue reading →

I own a few coloring books by Forest Diver and have become a real fan of his style. Where his other coloring books are focused on a specific design subject this book is quite different.

His style is the same but his designs reflect his interpretation of a inspirational quote/saying. There isn’t an overall theme to the book in this case.

For a change, I think it is quite interesting and should be fun to color. I generally don’t color quote style books but I have made a couple of purchases in this style. I’m glad I bought this one as it shows a wider range of Mr. Diver’s talent. Also, the quotes are interesting and some, for me, are quite inspiring.

The designs are detailed and some include smaller intricate areas to color.

Continue reading →

This is a lovely Japanese inspired coloring book by Ming-ju Sun. While most of her books are released by Dover/Creative Haven, this is an earlier book that was published by Stemmer House.

An odd issue with finding this book on Amazon is that they have the artist/author incorrect. I tried to get them to fix it but, well, getting Amazon to fix anything has become too big a chore for me to deal with. After repeated message and discussions, it still shows Amie S. Ambrose as the artist. I’ll provide the link so you can more easily find it:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0880450134/

The illustrations are beautiful and many are two-page spreads, which is different from the work I have by this artist. The images are based on woodblock prints and the beginning of the book gives information about the process and Japanese artwork.

I deducted a half star because some of my two-page spreads don’t line up well. The designs are detailed and some have intricate areas to color.

Continue reading →

This is my second coloring book by Sandi Pirrelli (the first was Main Street which I reviewed a couple of weeks ago.) Unlike that book, this one is still available on Amazon. While the price is for premium that is exactly what you get with this book.

The pages are thick (made for watercolors though I don’t currently use them and didn’t test for them.) The designs are detailed and mostly full page with framing edges at the sides. The book is spiral bound and still has perforated pages. That means you can color with ease in the book or, if you prefer, remove pages to color or to give away or frame.

There are lots of flowers and garden scenes, birdhouses and much more. I think this may be one of my favorite garden books thus far. That is based on how the book is published along with the designs. It is truly an overall 5+ star in my opinion.

The designs are detailed but not overly intricate. Some designs have flower elements which are definitely small, intricate and difficult to color.

Continue reading →

The publisher Jade Summer can usually be counted on to have a number of holiday inspired books as each season approaches. This year is no different. This is the second volume in their Christmas Coloring Book series. I’ve also noted a second Christmas book just published and will purchase and review that one shortly.

Where some Jade Summer books show hand drawing as the medium used for the designs, this book is fairly obviously created from computer drawn designs. There is a use of a few repeated elements sized different. Not so much as to be distracting but certainly there if you look closely.

That doesn’t bother me too much as the designs are really cute. The lines are a heavier black than usual but again, not too much of an issue for me.

The designs range from secular to religious (mostly secular.) There are kids and snow and Santa as well as a Nativity, angel and wisemen. The designs are detailed but not intricate. They contain full backgrounds.

An interesting thing I noted about this coloring book is that, unlike others from this publisher, there are no duplicate copies. The 45 designs in this book are each unique. You are still able to download the .pdf version if you buy the coloring book and follow the instructions given inside. I think that’s great but I am reviewing based on the paper and the book as you receive it you order the paper version.

Continue reading →

This is a lovely coloring book of a variety of fairytales, including: Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Hansel and Gretel, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Rumpelstiltskin, The Three Little Pigs, The Little Mermaid and The Princess and the Pea.

It is a really wide range of tales and each one has several designs. I like the concept and the designs. It is the only book I’ve seen thus far that takes on some of these tales.

It is published in the UK and is a few years old. The book she published in 2015 is already out of print (wish I had bought it but I never saw it!) I don’t know how long this book will be in print, but you can buy it with free shipping (at the time I write this review) from Book Depository:

https://www.bookdepository.com/Colour-Your-Own-Fairy-Tales-Laura-Tolton/9780008206826

The designs are detailed and most contain intricate and small areas to color. There are no framing lines so the elements stop mid-stream on all four edges. Thankfully, the bound edge is stopped prior to the binding area. I don’t recommend this book for anyone with visual or motor skill issues because of the intricate areas.

The back of each page is printed in color with elements for quotes from the tales included. A really nice touch!

Continue reading →