Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
Scribbles: A Really Giant Drawing and Coloring Book
Nonfiction Drawing Book
For ages 6 and up
Chronicle Books, 1997 ISBN: 978-0811855099
Anyone who has a child or children in their lives has heard the words "I'm bored" many times. We inwardly groaned when we hear those persistent voices saying "I don't know what to do now." Now, for children who love to draw and make things, there is a new tool at hand to overcome those bored and at-a-loose-end feelings.
Taro Gomi has created a very substantial book which is full of drawing and craft activities to try. What is amazing is the fact that the ideas in the book are very simple. For example children will find themselves looking at a double page spread on which a roughly drawn road can be seen. The child is asked to "Draw some cars." Of course children will probably add more than just cars to this illustration and that is what is wonderful about this book – it encourages creativity and the projects stimulate the imagination. In addition Taro Gomi infuses the 360 pages of this book with humor and a delightfully suprising quirkiness which will keep artists guessing and on their toes.
From adding faces to circles to putting flowers in vases; from making face masks to adding fireworks to a night sky, Taro Gomi has a created a drawing book which will keep young people – and not so young people – busy for hours on end.
