Creature Feature

What child hasn’t tried to emulate their favorite artists’ creations? Now they have the opportunity to color alongside some of today’s most beloved picture-book illustrators. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s American edition of Draw Me! Color Me! Creatures, ($11.99, 120 pages, ages 4-8) includes work by 43 illustrators, from Emily Gravett (The Odd Egg; Little Mouse’s Big Book of Fears), Axel Scheffler (The Gruffalo) Jan Pienkowski (The Glass Mountain) and others whose lions, aliens, and all sorts of fantastical creatures are in desperate need of color and sparkle. Children (and adults) will revel in this who’s-who of picture-book illustrators, adding their own creative embellishments. Instructions range from simple (Jim Field’s lonely pigeon requires companions), to complex (Sarah McIntyre provides step-by-step instructions on drawing a bird using a real feather). Originally published in the U.K. by Macmillan, the majority of the collaborators are based in Europe–here’s hoping for a version including illustrators from North America.

Put this on pre-order for the budding artists in your life. (Available March 1)