Pictura Puzzles: Fashion Designer by Pictura (Pictura Publishing / Templar)

Charlotte rather fancies herself as a bit of an arty fashion diva. It's great to see her sitting down with her pencils and crayons, designing just the right sort of dress or skirt for her latest drawings, and paying huge attention to the little details (like accessories and handbags). It's about the most girly thing she does, but it's sometimes pretty tough to find good quality children's books that allow her to not only explore her creative side when it comes to fashion design, but will also throw some interesting facts and figures into the mix too (as well as great activities and puzzles).

So Pictura's fantastic range of puzzle books, including "Pictura Puzzles: Fashion Designer" is a brilliant combination of all those things and also has over 100 stickers to compliment your designs throughout the book.

You start off in your studio with a blank mannequin and can get to work straight away, adding colour to your studio environment (and drawing yourself in there for good measure) before getting to work on that mannequin. Will you opt for a flowing ball gown? Skirt and blouse combo? Trouser suit? Let your imagination fly and start working on your fashion masterpiece!

The book introduces various challenges throughout, and also dishes up a ton of really fascinating facts about the fashion industry (did you know, for instance, that certain Hermes handbags have a three year waiting list?! Blimey!)

Charlotte getting to work decorating her studio and creating her first dress

Those of you who've already encountered Pictura's fantastic range of colouring sheets and activity books will know that the team pulls out all the stops to make their products engaging and engrossing (and any parent will tell you that seeing their child completely and utterly absorbed by something they're working on is sheer bliss!)

Even if your children aren't particularly interested in fashion, the range branches out into other subjects so there's plenty to choose from including books about myths and legends, London and Dinosaurs in the initial range.

Also a bit of a confession from me. I really REALLY wanted to steal this away and have a go myself when Charlotte was safely tucked up in bed, but resisted the temptation. As with other items in the Pictura range, adults will very swiftly discover that the simple joy of doodling, colouring and designing using these books is absolutely addictive (but I didn't fancy facing the wrath of Coco Charlotte the next morning so I'll have to beg and plead to become her fashion assistant or something!)

"Pictura Puzzles: Fashion Designer" and the other titles in the range are now available from Pictura. Stop by their website for more details: http://www.picturaline.com

Charlotte's best bit: Designing intricate butterflies for a dress design's accessories

Daddy's Favourite bit: Not your average activity / puzzle book this, thoroughly researched, beautifully presented and intentionally full of lots of black and white spaces itching for you to get in there with your crayons, paints, felt tips and colouring pencils. What are you waiting for?

(Kindly sent to us for review by Pictura / Templar)