Posted on by literaryfeatures

Staying in the Lines

Coloring books have reached the zenith of sophisticated stress-release and mindfulness for adults – one need look no further than the pricey pattern tablets offered with creamy Faber-Castel colored pencils – but coloring books for kids offer inexpensive, portable, and decidedly screen-free ways to relax and pass the time. The following three selections are the best of the pack:

I Heart Cute Coloring, by Jess Bradley; Price, Stern, Sloan, $9.99, 128 pages, ages 6-9.

Yes, this chunky tablet delivers exactly what the title promises: page after page of unicorns, reindeer and bathing penguins. The vaguely anime style lend the book an air of cool no pre-tween can resist. Rather than swipe your kid’s copy, adults can pick up the companion volume, I Heart Coloring, by Felicity French.

Merry Christmas, Hello Kitty! Grossett & Dunlap, $9.99, ages 3 and up.

64 pages of puzzles, mazes, seek and finds, and a pull-out poster all starring the global phenomenon Hello Kitty. Does it matter that the illustrations are Christmas-themed? Not in the least. If you have more than one Hello Kitty fan at home, better get two copies.

Harry Potter Coloring Book, Scholastic; $15.99, ages 9-14. (release date: November 10, 2015)

This coloring book cast a spell on me; filled with all the magical creatures and places from the film series, it will enchant Harry Potter buffs, too. The final 16 page spread includes fully-colored illustrations of emblems as well as photo stills from all the movies. Aparecium!

Posted on by literaryfeatures

The Noisy Clock Shop by Jean Horton Berg, illus. by Art Seiden. G&D Vintage, $7.99
My ABC Book, illus. by Art Seiden. G&D Vintage, $7.99
The Too Little Fire Engine by Jane Flory. G&D Vintage, $7.99
All: ages 3-5. 

Grosset & Dunlap, the original publishers of the iconic Dick and Jane series, just reissued four of its classic mid-century children’s picture books in a bid to reach a new genearaion of readers yet to discover these adorable titles. The publishing house has over 200 similiar out of print books hailing from its Wonder Books imprint. (G&D plans to release four more later this year.) These titles are prime examples of books published during the era many in the industry call the ‘Golden Age’ of children’s book publishing.  Many artistic flourishes that appear in these books no doubt provide inspiration to today’s crop of illustrators. While G&D changed little from the original editions, savvy readers will notice that these reissues are slightly larger than the original Wonder Books.  None of the books have lost their charm with age, and young children will delight in the stories much as their grandparents did almost sixty years ago.  We’re looking forward to seeing more of these treasures in 2015, which are also a real bargain at $7.99 each.