A colouring book roundup - Break out your best pencils and felt tips, it's colouring time!

The joy of sprawling out full-length on a floor littered with colouring pencils and pens, and indulging in the age-old exercise of 'staying within the lines' is still as absorbing as ever it was.

We've been checking out some brilliant colouring books recently, and we're kicking off with our favourite.

The late Terry Pratchett's seemingly limitless imagination gave birth to the awesome Discworld, and a host of unforgettable characters that populate his brilliantly funny stories.

Long-time collaborator and illustrator Paul Kidby, who came up with the amazing covers and illustrations for Pratchett's books, has long been recognised as the authority on how Pratchett's characters should look.

Paul has come up trumps with a new colouring book, published by Gollancz, that collects together some of his best works of art - turning them into crisp and clear line art so that you can add your own dashes of colour.

DEATH in all his glory!

Name a favourite character and you'll definitely find them in the colouring book, from our fave DEATH to Vimes, Granny Weatherwax, Rincewind, The Librarian and The Luggage. Paul's artwork is fabulous and crisp and you'll end up spending hours colouring each fantastically detailed scene.

There are also lots of colour plates at the back of the book of Paul's amazing artwork to give you some pointers and get you off to a flying start.

"The Discworld Colouring Book" by Paul Kidby is out now, published by Gollancz.

A shift in gears for the next two colouring books - this time from amazing artist Tomoko Toshiro...

First, the "Fairy Tales Colouring Book" collects together some of the most well-loved and best-known fairy tales of all time, with Tomoko's own interpretations of brilliant stories such as Little Red Riding Hood, The Twelve Dancing Princesses, Hansel and Gretel and many many others.

Each colouring spread is exquisitely detailed so you'd better sharpen your pencils to the max to fill in all the tiny little colouring areas within.

Illustrations are crisp and clear, and you'll easily find your favourite story nestled somewhere in here (we spent a very long time colouring in the gorgeous 'confectionery cottage' from Hansel and Gretel - who can resist something so appealing to a pair of sweet-tooths like us!)

Also from Tomoko is the fantastic "Princesses  and Fairies Colouring Book"...

Once again the book is filled to the brim with amazingly detailed scenes to colour, this time with a distinctly regal feel.

If your children are into amazing costumes and pretty accessories then this is very much the colouring book for them. Tomoko's designs are stunning.

The "Fairy Tales Colouring Book" and "Princesses and Fairies Colouring Book" are published by Pavilion Children's Books

Last but by no means least, an absolutely sumptuous and luxuriously bound book to turn into your very own private bestiary...




"The Book of Beasts: Colour and Discover" by Angela Rizza and Jonny Marks is an incredible collection of mythical animals drawn from Aboriginal, African, Mesoamerican, Greek, Roman, Indian, Norse, Chinese, Celtic and Japanese folk tales. Gorgeously presented in a fully-foiled gold and blue cover, it almost looks too good to deface with your own colours but that's what it's for - so brush up your skills to the max with this fabulous book.

Each collection of mythical animals is followed by a description of the beast and its origins. If you've ever wanted to know more about Unicorns, Krakens, Cockatrices, Gryphons or Dragons then you're going to absolutely love this book. What an utterly brilliant idea!

"The Book of Beasts: Colour & Discover" is out now from Buster Books.

(All books kindly supplied for review)