Smithsonian Coloring Books

 Looking for something to do during these cold winter months where we're not going out and about?

Coloring books could be your answer! 

The Smithsonian has two new coloring books. The illustrations are delicate, therefore these are best suited for teens or adults.

About the Book: Airplanes: A Smithsonian Coloring Book allows readers to soar through the skies with some of the most recognized and revered airplanes from the collection at the National Air and Space Museum. The thrilling artistry of John Pirtel vivifies the very first powered aircrafts of the 1900s, revolutionary bombers and jet fighters of the 20th century, supersonic passenger airliner, and many more.

 My Thoughts: I like how the planes are organized chronologically. You get a little history with your coloring. 

About the set up:

One page has the information (not too much detail) and the other page has the picture. 

And you know the information is great because it comes from experts at the Smithsonian.

Inside Look:

This is the Polar Star plane and yes those are penguins you see in the picture. 

Dinosaurs: A Smithsonian Coloring Book invites readers to explore millions of years of animal wonders, guided by experts from the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History. The artistic wizardry of Rachel Curtis (The Princess Bride: A Storybook to Color) captures scenes featuring the herbivorous Stegosaurus, the sea-dwelling Hesperornis, the giant sauropod Camarasaurus, the mighty Tyrannosaurus, and many more. 

Inside Look:

Here's one of the pictures - Triceratops.

My favorite dinosaur. Everyone has one...what's yours?

Source: Sent for review 

These make great gifts.

And if you're a librarian - they make great summer reading prizes.

Holiday Gift Ideas (1)

Coloring Books

Nope this craze still hasn't gone away. Great for relaxing and unwinding after a hard day. Perhaps you know someone who could use a break. There are hundred of coloring books out there, one for every person. Here are a few that I've looked at this year. 

This one I got for Christmas last year and it's amazing!

Gifted from a friend

  

Sent for review.

You can see my write up and some favorite pages here. 

Sent for review: perfect for cat loving friends 

Kid friendly. 

Quotes on ones side, coloring pages on the other.

  

Sent for review. Perfect for animal loving friends

Kid friendly. 

Quotes on ones side, coloring pages on the other.

Mix of animals, not just puppies, a nice variety including pigs and snowman too.

 

Giveaway: Percy Jackson Coloring Pack

The Percy Jackson Coloring Book

By Rick Riordan with artwork by Keith Robinson

Published by Disney-Hyperion

In Stores August 15^th, 2017

Disney-Hyperion sent me a copy to check out, and is partnering with me for a giveaway!

About The Percy Jackson Coloring Book

Demigods, brandish your pencils!

Over the past decade, millions of young readers, parents, and teachers have come to adore Rick Riordan's classic series Percy Jackson and the Olympians, which made ancient Greek mythology contemporary, relevant, and entertaining as it turned kids on to reading. Now fans can literally color Percy's world with the amusing portraits, dramatic scenes, and intricate designs on every spread of this large format paperback. This book is a great way to introduce young children to the series, to allow older fans to reminisce, and to augment classroom units on Greek mythology. 

About the Author

Rick Riordan, dubbed “storyteller of the gods” by Publishers Weekly, is the author of five #1 New York Times best-selling middle grade series with millions of copies sold throughout the world: Percy Jackson and the Olympians, the Heroes of Olympus, and the Trials of Apollo, based on Greek and Roman mythology; the Kane Chronicles, based on Ancient Egyptian mythology; and Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard, based on Norse mythology. Rick collaborated with illustrator John Rocco on two best-selling collections of Greek myths for the whole family: Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods and Percy Jackson’s Greek Heroes. Rick lives in Boston, Massachusetts with his wife and two sons. Follow him on Twitter at @camphalfblood.  

About the Illustrator

Keith Robinson graduated with a degree in graphic design and illustration in 1992 and worked as an animator on some of the earliest digital media productions for clients around the world. He joined the BBC and was part of the R&D team that developed the corporation's first website. He later founded Codename, an award-winning media production company, before he became a freelance illustrator in 2001. His illustrations have been featured in children's books, magazines, television programs, and on postage stamps. He especially enjoys drawing fantasy, mythical, and historical subjects. He lives on the south coast of England.

The Insides:

The Percy Jackson Coloring Book is pretty cool. It basically tells the story of The Lightning Thief. Here are a few of my favorites.

A map of camp

Percy's Cabin

Percy Fighting

 

Percy's Dad                                Fluffy

Annabeth 

Key Links + Social Media

Visit ReadRiordan.com

Like Percy Jackson on Facebook

Follow Disney-Hyperion on Twitter and Instagram

Follow Rick Riordan on Twitter and Instagram

Hashtag #PJColoringBook

Demigods, Brandish Your Pencils!

One (1) winner receives:

• Copy of The Percy Jackson Coloring Book
• Percy Jackson-branded tin of colored pencils

Giveaway open to US addresses only.

Prizing and samples provided by Disney-Hyperion.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Coloring Book Review: Dominion of Giants

I love that this coloring book starts out with a color wheel. It also explains how to color a face (and then the rest of the art) with markers with helpful tips and tricks. I love how you can see some of the illustrations colored in to give you a jumping off point. Of course you can use your own imagination too. Some of the blank illustrations have a color scheme at the bottom, which I find helpful.

I love the book quotes on the pages opposite the art work - they're not all fantasy, but many big names that fans will recolonize.

The art work is intricate and amazing.

I think fantasy readers and fantasy gamers (especially the D and D crowd) will love this coloring book; it would make a great gift. 

Mini Review: I Love My Hair

A coloring book dedicated to hair.

This is the first coloring book for teens/adults that I've taken an in depth look at and it was really fun!

The Good:

Lots of fun styles 

Lots of words and accessories to color

I love the historical hair designs

The Bad:

Nitpicking: It's so pretty as is, I'm not sure I'd want to ruin it with my coloring skills 

Source: Sent for Review

Some of my Favorite Spreads:

Diana Ross

I love the crown of hair

Reminds me of Rapunzel

Reminds me of Anne of Green Gables

The Librarian 

A fancy ball style

Marie Antoinette 

Final Thoughts: A fantastic beautiful book on hair styles - perfect for taking a time out from your busy life