In recent years there has been an upsurge in the publication of 'interactive' books, designed to spark our creativity. Colouring books for adults, as well as my teenage daughter's current favourite: ''Wreck This Journal,'' seek to tap into our creative side, whilst promoting mindfulness and relaxation. By actively encouraging us to slow down and look at the world around us, books like these enable us to take time out of our busy lives and just enjoy the present moment. And this method must be working, because they are proving incredibly popular. I was intrigued, therefore, at the idea behind ''My Year in Small Drawings,'' which invites readers to create a visual diary of the world around us by creating a series of small pictures on a given subject. [[My Year in Small Drawings: Notice, Draw, Appreciate by Matilda Tristram|Full Review]]
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===[[Around the World Colouring Book by Thomas Flintham]]===
[[image:4star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Crafts|Crafts]]
Colouring books are a useful way for children to relax, develop manual dexterity and explore colour, but in the dash to appeal to the child so many miss the opportunity to be gently educational ''and'' to still appeal to the young. The two are not mutually exclusive! Look for instance at this colouring book: it's got page upon page of pictures to colour (with just a little narrative to set the scene) with the added attraction of four pages of stickers. You'll see grey shapes - and that's the signal to get stickering! [[Around the World Colouring Book by Thomas Flintham|Full Review]]
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{{newreview
|author=Thomas Flintham
|title=Around the World Colouring Book
|rating=4
|genre=Children's Non-Fiction
|summary=Colouring books are a useful way for children to relax, develop manual dexterity and explore colour, but in the dash to appeal to the child so many miss the opportunity to be gently educational ''and'' to still appeal to the young. The two are not mutually exclusive! Look for instance at this colouring book: it's got page upon page of pictures to colour (with just a little narrative to set the scene) with the added attraction of four pages of stickers. You'll see grey shapes - and that's the signal to get stickering!
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1788000005</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreview
|author=Gavin Rutherford and Tanya Batrak