For those of us raised on Sesame Street and Precious Moments coloring books, the concept of organizing coloring books by topic is bound to seem foreign and even useless. Oscar the Grouch doesn't need his own section, many are likely to point out. We couldn't agree more—which is why we don't carry those sorts of coloring books in the first place.
The ones we do carry are the coolest you're likely to see. The pictures are detailed (many can only be properly completed using colored pencils or paint), the topics covered are diverse, and (best of all, for many) they're highly educational, most of them even including text to explain the pictures and their historical or factual significance.
One thing to be aware of: these aren't for really little kids. We typically think of coloring books as appealing to toddlers or 1st graders, but these are probably best enjoyed beginning in 2nd grade at least. High school students and adults have been known to spend hours hunched over a Dover or Spizzirri Press coloring book, and when you see the pictures they're filled with you'll know why.
Obviously, basic art instruction is still the best use for coloring books. You don't want to base your study of ancient Rome around a coloring book, but at the same time it doesn't hurt to supplement. Kids like to color, you want your kids to learn, and if coloring historically accurate images of men in togas and sandals helps cement important information in their heads, why not take advantage of that?
None of these are particularly long (except a few that include several shorter volumes), making them easy to transport, color in, and keep in a desk drawer. There are books in these categories to fit into just about any area of study or interest. Peruse our selection at your own risk—it's easy to spend more time than you intended looking over the surprisingly diverse titles.