Today I’m sharing with you a pretty little book I’ve shared with Mom. I do enjoy taking a little time out to enjoy some colouring with the kids when I can, which isn’t nearly often enough for my liking…but laundry and work always beckon. However, A Touch of Asia isn’t too big (or too small) and has a variety of images to colour.
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Tuttle Publishing kindly send me a copy of A Touch of Asia Coloring Book: Serenely Elegant Designs From The East which comprises 58 pages of images from the cultures of Japan, China, India, Islam, Persia, and more. The pages are perforated so that they are easy to remove for colouring or to put up and enjoy on your wall, desk, or work cubicle. The ease of removing the pages also means that it’s easy to take a page out and keep yourself occupied during travel on the train, bus, or plane.
In fact….
The children gave this book to my mom for her birthday this year. Mom and Dad were here for a month; you may have heard me refer to them in previous posts as our ‘special guests from Canada’ – I didn’t want to advertise that they weren’t at home, but now that they’re back home and have relieved their house-sitter from his duties, I can now mention them 🙂
The last time they visited us, the colouring craze was just starting over here and Mom bought a couple of books to take home with her, so we knew she would enjoy this book. We also knew she would love the Japanese illustrations as she visited me while I was in Japan and we travelled from Toyama to Kyoto, and down to Aso-san during one Golden Week. So as much as we loved this book, we also wanted to spread the joy and serenity with someone who would also appreciate it and deserves a break from reality now and then!
The children wanted to make this book even more special for Nana so they each chose a page, carefully took it out of the book, and then spent the week ahead of Mom’s arrival colouring carefully. The markers weren’t cooperating and there was a little aggravation when Tristan had to change his colour plan part way through. We’ve since purchased a new set of markers to prevent further stress.
Some of the pictures we recognised from In a Japanese Garden and Floating World, but they had a different feel in this smaller size. If you already have those books, don’t worry, you’ll want to do these illustrations again as they’re just that beautiful, and there are also plenty of new pictures to colour!
When the children finished their pictures, they then carefully tucked them back inside the book so that Nana could have a little gift from her grandchildren. They did work ever so hard on these pictures.
The next step was for the kids to wrap up this book, along with a novel for Dad, with some beautiful gift wrap. They thought a page of Chinese Silk Gift Wrapping papers and Blue & White Gift Wrapping Papers (also by Tuttle Publishing) would compliment the gift inside. They asked me to help them wrap a little as they wanted to use a Japanese form of wrapping for this special gift.
The gifts were ready! The kids then hid the gifts away until just the right moment to get them out and present them to their grandparents.
I have to mention that the gift wrap was complimented, and was actually kept by both Mom and Dad, as well, and they carefully flattened it and took it home with them, they thought it was so pretty!
Mom did indeed like A Touch of Asia Coloring Book. Before Nana packed up her book to take home with her, she sat with Kallista and they coloured together. Mom using her new book, and Kallista coloured a page from my book, In a Japanese Garden.
As always happens after a trip, it’s hard to get those luggage bags within their allowed weight, so thankfully Mom also had a carry-on bag that this book would fit into so she could colour away while on the bus and two planes she needed to get home. As this book is about 3/4 the size of a full-size book, it made it easier to slide into an accessible pocket.
Thank you, Tuttle, for making this a trip filled with happy memories that can be continued at home in Canada. I know that Mom will think of her grandchildren each time she opens this book as sees the two pictures lovingly coloured in with care, and when she colours her own pictures.
If you’d like to know more or would like to follow Tuttle Publishing, you can connect with them through their website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest (and you can see our other Tuttle reviews here).
If you’re interested in purchasing this book or other Japanese items found in it, here are some Amazon links for you:
