Topical Coloring Books

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.

Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he is a husband and father, teaches adult Sunday school in his Presbyterian congregation, and likes weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur. Read more of his reviews here.

 

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435 Items found Print
3-D Designs - Coloring Book
by Wil Steganga
from Dover Publications
for 4th-Adult
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$3.39
ABC Book of Early Americana - Coloring Book
by Eric Sloane
2012 Dover from Dover Publications
for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$9.31
Abraham Lincoln - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by A. G. Smith
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$4.24 $2.40 (1 in stock)
Adventures of Hercules - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Bob Blaisdell & John Green
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Literary & Fantasy Coloring Books (Location: COL-LIT)
$3.39
Adventures of King Arthur - Coloring Book
by Arkady Roytman
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Literary & Fantasy Coloring Books (Location: COL-LIT)
$3.39
Adventures of Ulysses - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Bruce LaFontaine
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Literary & Fantasy Coloring Books (Location: COL-LIT)
$3.39
African Plains - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Diane Gaspas-Ettl
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$4.24
Aircraft - Coloring Book
Educational Read & Color Books
by Peter & Linda Spizzirri
from Spizzirri Press
for 2nd-5th grade
in Educational Read & Color Books (Location: COL-SPIZ)
$1.20 (1 in stock)
Airplanes of the Second World War - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Carlo Demand
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$4.24
Airplanes of World War I - Coloring Book
by Carlo Demand
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$4.24
Alaskan Wildlife - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Jan Sovak
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$3.39
Alice in Wonderland - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Lewis Carroll & John Tenniel
from Dover Publications
Coloring Book for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$4.24
All About the Weather - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Bruce LaFontaine
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$4.24
Amazing Animals - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Ruth Soffer
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$4.24
Amazing Birds - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Ruth Soffer
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$4.24
America's First Ladies - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Leslie Franz
Revised Edition from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$5.09
American Heroes - Coloring Book
by Steven James Petruccio
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$4.24
American House - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by A. G. Smith
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$4.24
American Muscle Cars - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Bruce LaFontaine
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$5.09
American Presidents - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Peter F. Copeland
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$4.24
American Sailing Ships - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Peter F. Copeland
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$4.24 $2.00 (1 in stock)
American Wild Flowers - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Paul Kennedy
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$4.24 $2.00 (1 in stock)
Amistad - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Peter F. Copeland
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$3.36
Anatomy Coloring Book
by Wynn Kapit
4th edition from Pearson Education
for 9th-Adult
in Anatomy Coloring Books (Location: SCI-ANACOL)
$29.99
Ancient Africa Volume 2 - Coloring Book
from Bellerophon Books
for 3rd-6th grade
in Africa (Location: HISMC-AFR)
$2.00
Ancient Egyptian Fashions - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Tom Tierney
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$4.24
Animal ABC - Coloring Book
by Pat Stewart
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$3.39
Animal Alphabet - Coloring Book
by Nina Barbaresi
from Dover Publications
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$3.39
Animal Giants - Coloring Book
Educational Read & Color Books
by Peter & Linda Spizzirri
from Spizzirri Press
for 2nd-5th grade
in Educational Read & Color Books (Location: COL-SPIZ)
Antique Airplanes - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Peter F. Copeland
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$4.24
Antique Automobiles - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Clarence P. Hornung
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$4.24
Antique Dolls - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Brenda Sneathen Mattox
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$3.39
Antique Locomotives - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Tre Tryckare Company
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$4.24
Arabian Nights - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by John Green
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$3.36
Arctic and Antarctic Life - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Ruth Soffer
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$4.24
Around the World - Coloring Book
by Winky Adam
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-4th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$3.39 $2.00 (1 in stock)
Art Masterpieces to Color
by Marty Noble
from Dover Publications
for 5th-9th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$8.46 $4.80 (1 in stock)
Art Museum: A Sticker Story Coloring Book
by Sylvia Walker
Clr Csm from Dover Publications
for Kindergarten-5th grade
in Sticker Books (Location: ACT-STICK)
Atlantic Fish - Coloring Book
Educational Read & Color Books
by Peter & Linda Spizzirri
from Spizzirri Press
for 2nd-5th grade
in Educational Read & Color Books (Location: COL-SPIZ)
$3.36
Audubon's Birds of America - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Paul Kennedy
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$4.24
Automobiles - Coloring Book
Educational Read & Color Books
by Peter & Linda Spizzirri
from Spizzirri Press
for 2nd-5th grade
in Educational Read & Color Books (Location: COL-SPIZ)
Baby Animals - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Ruth Soffer
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$3.39
Backyard Nature - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Dot Barlowe
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$4.24
Ballet Class - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Caroline Denzler & John Green
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$4.24
Benjamin Franklin - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Peter F. Copeland
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Beowulf - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by John Green
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Literary & Fantasy Coloring Books (Location: COL-LIT)
$3.39
Best-Loved Aesop's Fables - Coloring Book
by Maggie Swanson
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
Big Book of Horses to Color
Dover Coloring Books
by Green, John
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$8.46
Big Book of Sea Life to Color
by Ruth Soffer, Anthony D'Attilio, Lucia de Leiris
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-4th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$8.46
Big Book of Space Exploration to Color
by Bruce LaFontaine
from Dover Publications
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
Billy Yank - Coloring Book
by Alan Archambault
from Bellerophon Books
Coloring Book for 4th-8th grade
in American Civil War (1860-1865) (Location: HISA-19CW)
$4.21 $2.80 (2 in stock)
Birds - Coloring Book
Educational Read & Color Books
by Peter & Linda Spizzirri
from Spizzirri Press
for 2nd-5th grade
in Educational Read & Color Books (Location: COL-SPIZ)
$3.36
Birds Alphabet - Coloring Book
by Ruth Soffer
from Dover Publications
for 1st-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$3.39
Birds in Flight - Coloring Book
by Ruth Soffer
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$3.39
Birds of Prey - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by John Green
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$4.24
Birdwatcher's Coloring Book
by Dot Barlowe
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$3.39
Black Beauty - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by John Green
from Dover Publications
Coloring Books for 2nd-6th grade
in Literary & Fantasy Coloring Books (Location: COL-LIT)
$4.24
Botanical Gardens - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Dot Barlowe
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$4.24
Boys and Girls of the Bible - Coloring Book
from Rod & Staff Publishers, Inc.
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Miscellaneous Coloring Books (Location: COL-MISC)
Butterflies - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Jan Sovak
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$4.24
Butterfly Alphabet - Coloring Book
by Carol Schmidt
from Dover Publications
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$3.39
Byzantine Fashions - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Tom Tierney
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$4.24 $2.00 (1 in stock)
Cactus - Coloring Book
by Stefen Bernath
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-4th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$4.24
California Missions - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by David Rickman
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$4.24 $2.40 (1 in stock)
Carousel Animals - Coloring Book
by Christy Shaffer
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$3.39
Cars - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Steven James Petruccio
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$3.39
Castles of the World - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by A. G. Smith
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$4.24
Cat - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Karen Baldauski
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$4.24
Cat Lovers - Coloring Book
by Ruth Soffer
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$3.39
Cathedrals of the World - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by John Green
from Dover Publications
for 3rd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$4.24
Cats - Coloring Book
Educational Read & Color Books
by Peter & Linda Spizzirri
from Spizzirri Press
for 2nd-5th grade
in Educational Read & Color Books (Location: COL-SPIZ)
Cats of the Wild - Coloring Book
Educational Read & Color Books
by Peter & Linda Spizzirri
from Spizzirri Press
for 2nd-5th grade
in Educational Read & Color Books (Location: COL-SPIZ)
$3.36
Cavalier and Puritan Fashions - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Tom Tierney
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$3.36
Celtic Fashions - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Tom Tierney
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$4.24
Charles Darwin - Coloring Book
by John Green
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$3.39
Children
from Dover Publications
Clip-Art for
in Miscellaneous Coloring Books (Location: COL-MISC)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Chinese Fashions - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Ming-Ju Sun
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$4.24
Civil War Fashions - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Tom Tierney
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$4.24
Civil War Uniforms - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Peter F. Copeland
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$4.24
Classic Cars - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Bruce LaFontaine
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$8.46
Classic Cars of the Fifties - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Bruce LaFontaine
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$3.39
Classic Motorcars - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Tre Tryckare Company
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$4.24
Classic Racing Cars of the World - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Carlo Demand
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$4.24
Colonial and Early American Fashions - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Tom Tierney
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$4.24
Colonies - Coloring Book
Educational Read & Color Books
by Peter & Linda Spizzirri
from Spizzirri Press
for 2nd-5th grade
in Educational Read & Color Books (Location: COL-SPIZ)
$3.36
Color and Learn: Native America
Color & Learn
by Elizabeth Adams
from Educators Press
for Preschool-1st grade
in Native Americans (Location: HISA-19NAT)
$2.50 (1 in stock)
Color the Classics: Beauty and the Beast
Color the Classics
by Jae-Eun Lee
Clr Csm from Waves of Color
for 7th-Adult
in Literary & Fantasy Coloring Books (Location: COL-LIT)
Color the Natural World
by Zoe Keller
Clr Csm from Timber Press, Inc.
for 6th-Adult
in Adult Coloring Books (Location: COL-ADULT)
$11.01
Color Your Own Great Fairy Tale Illustrations
by Marty Noble
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$4.24
Color Your Own Impressionist Paintings
Dover Masterworks
by Marty Noble
from Dover Publications
for 3rd-Adult
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$2.40 (1 in stock)
Color Your Own Monet Paintings
Dover Masterworks
by Marty Noble
from Dover Publications
for 3th-Adult
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$2.40 (1 in stock)
Color Your Own Patriotic Posters
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-4th grade
in Dover Coloring Books (Location: COL-DOV)
$3.39
Coloring Book of American Composers
by Eric Tomb, Paul Rail & Nancy Conkle
from Bellerophon Books
for 3rd-6th grade
in Music History (Location: ELE-MUSHIS)
Coloring Book of American Indians
in Miscellaneous Coloring Books (Location: COL-MISC)
$2.40 (1 in stock)
Coloring Book of Ancient Egypt
by Bellerophon Books
from Bellerophon Books
for 4th-6th grade
in Ancient Egypt (Location: HISW-ANEG)
Coloring Book of Early Composers
by Eric Tomb & Nancy Conkle
from Bellerophon Books
for 3rd-6th grade
in Music History (Location: ELE-MUSHIS)
$4.21 $2.80 (1 in stock)
Coloring Book of Great Composers Book 1
by David Brownell & Nancy Conkle
from Bellerophon Books
for 3rd-6th grade
in Music History (Location: ELE-MUSHIS)
Coloring Book of Great Composers Book 2
by David Brownell & Nancy Conkle
from Bellerophon Books
for 3rd-6th grade
in Music History (Location: ELE-MUSHIS)
$2.80 (1 in stock)
Coloring Book of Great Composers Book 3
by David Brownell & Nancy Conkle
from Bellerophon Books
for 3rd-6th grade
in Music History (Location: ELE-MUSHIS)
$2.80 (1 in stock)
Coloring Book of Great Explorers
by Eric Tomb
from Bellerophon Books
for 2nd-6th grade
in Exploration (1450-1900) (Location: HISA-16EXP)
$1.60 (1 in stock)
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