TOP FIVE: Colouring Books

A Converse sneaker from The Sneaker Colouring BookTHE KEY TO enjoying colouring in with your child is not just great pens (juicy, both fat and thin, and fab colours), but to love the colouring book so much you’d like to hide it under your pillow (or at least buy another copy) so you can indulge in a little late night colour therapy.

Our current favourites are here:

Charley Harper Deluxe Colouring Book1. Charley Harper’s Deluxe Coloring Book - an intricate, intoxicating colouring book featuring a satisfying number of Harper’s uncoloured bird and animal illustrations. This even got Grandpa reaching for the felt tips! (PLUS, there’s a birds only version too coming soon.) rrp, £4.95

Andy Warhol Coloring Book, by Prestel2. Coloring Book - Andy Warhol, Prestel, rrp £4.99. In case anyone was still under the impression that Warhol was a charlatan and performer rather than a true artist they’d would do well to see this illustrated colouring book that includes not just Warhol’s work (some part coloured aleady), but child-friendly explanations and facts about his techniques and innovations. Be warned: more free-draw than colouring in, so better for older kids. Buy it from www.prestel.com or here.

The Sneaker Colouring Book, Laurence King3. The Sneaker Colouring Book by PKNTS from Laurence King - The most genius of ideas. A colouring book featuring 100 line drawings of genuine sneakers from the past few decades of trainer-mania (see the Converse sneaker top). For sport-freak boys, teens, dads, and trainer fanatics. www.laurenceking.com and here. rrp, £12.95

Salvador Dali Colouring Album4. Salvador Dali - Colouring Album. The animals in Dali’s surrealist artworks are made eminently colourable in this book that introduces children to his unique style thanks to drawing ‘translations’ of his work by Carme Sanglas. A little potentially scary in places, but that’s good isn’t it??9,75 Euros. Fundacio Gala - Salvador Dali shop.

The Colouring Book, from the Tate.5. Colouring Book - by Herve Tullet from Tate Publishing. Wow, what a thick, totally absorbing colouring book featuring optical illusions, illustrations and chunky graphics, plus page after page of easy to colour designs - so great for pre-schoolers - with questions and prompts too for young readers. A beauty to keep. 208 pages. rrp. £9.99. From the Tate Shop, or here.