Activity Books: I Absolutely Must Recommend This Book Now

I think that Lauren Child is a genius. From her creative website, to her fabulous characters to her hilarious dialogue, this artist and creator of the adorable Lola (also a cartoon on the Disney Channel) can count me as one of her biggest fans.

This week's activity book pick is based on Child's Charlie and Lola series. Even the title, I Absolutely Must Do Coloring Now or Painting or Drawing (Charlie and Lola), leaves you with no doubt as to how much fun you'll have when you open this book.

Coloring books have always bored my children, but the appeal of this particular book is that the pages are only half-illustrated. Prompts are given to finish the illustrations. For example, "Lola has invited a martian over for tea and he's drinking her pink milk through one of his mouths." Lola is already on the page, with a spot open between her and her brother Charlie. That's where your child can draw the multi-mouthed martian drinking pink milk.

This book is perfect for young children, offering more complete illustrations than Doodles (see previous post) by Tamo Gori but still allowing a lot of room for imagination.

I adore Child's simple, funny illustrations, which contain bits of actual photographs and other materials mixed in. And no matter how old you are -- every girl will enjoy Lola, who has a mind of her own and a soaring imagination. Who else can play hopscotch with the solar system and ask you to color in "ever so sparkly, really very spotty, completely stripy planets"?

Your girls will love this activity book ... it's my favorite and my best activity book ever!

Happy coloring or painting or drawing,

Christina