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's a husband and father who loves church, good food, and 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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65 Items found Print
Active Filters: Trade Paperback
3-D Designs - Coloring Book
by Wil Steganga
from Dover Publications
for 4th-Adult
in Abstract & Mosaic Coloring Books (Location: COL-ABS)
$3.99
Alexander Hamilton - Coloring Book
by Steven James Petruccio
Clr Csm from Dover Publications
for 2nd-Adult
in History of America Coloring Books (Location: COL-HISA)
$5.99
Anatomy Coloring Book
by Wynn Kapit
4th edition from Pearson Education
for 9th-Adult
in Anatomy Coloring Books (Location: SCI-ANACOL)
$29.99
At the Construction Site Coloring Book
by Steven James Petruccio
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Architecture Coloring Books (Location: COL-ARCH)
$3.99
Big Book of Geometric Designs and Illusions to Color
by Koichi Sato, Spyros Horemis
illustrated edition from Dover Publications
for 2nd-Adult
in Abstract & Mosaic Coloring Books (Location: COL-ABS)
$7.95
Birdwatcher's Coloring Book
by Dot Barlowe
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Bird Coloring Books (Location: COL-BIRD)
$5.99
Cat Lovers - Coloring Book
by Ruth Soffer
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Mammal Coloring Books (Location: COL-MAM)
$3.99
Charles Darwin - Coloring Book
by John Green
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in History of the World Coloring Books (Location: COL-HISW)
$3.99
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)
$13.95
Coloring Book of Great Explorers
by Eric Tomb
from Bellerophon Books
for 2nd-6th grade
in Age of Exploration (1450-1700) (Location: HISA-16EXP)
Coloring Book of the American Revolution
by Harry Knill
from Bellerophon Books
for 4th-6th grade
in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV)
Coloring Book of the Odyssey
from Bellerophon Books
for 1st-3rd grade
in Ancient Greece (Location: HISW-ANGR)
Coloring Book of the Trojan War: The Iliad Vol. 1
by John K. Anderson
from Bellerophon Books
for 1st-3rd grade
in Ancient Greece (Location: HISW-ANGR)
Coloring Book of the Trojan War: The Iliad Vol. 2
by John K. Anderson
Coloring from Bellerophon Books
for 4th-6th grade
in Ancient Greece (Location: HISW-ANGR)
Columbus Discovers America - Coloring Book
by Peter F. Copeland
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in History of America Coloring Books (Location: COL-HISA)
$4.99 $3.00 (2 in stock)
Creative Haven Abstract Designs - Coloring Book
Creative Haven
by Brian Johnson
Csm from Dover Publications
for 7th-Adult
in Adult Coloring Books (Location: COL-ADULT)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Creative Haven Arabesque Designs - Coloring Book
by Nick Crossling
First Edition, Fir from Dover Publications
for 7th-Adult
in Adult Coloring Books (Location: COL-ADULT)
$6.99
Creative Haven Beautiful Birds - Coloring Book
Creative Haven
by Dot Barlowe
First Edition, Fir from Dover Publications
for 7th-Adult
in Adult Coloring Books (Location: COL-ADULT)
$6.99
Dazzling Designs - Coloring Book
by Koichi Sato
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-Adult
in Abstract & Mosaic Coloring Books (Location: COL-ABS)
$3.99
Deadly Creatures - Coloring Book
by Jan Sovak
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Animal Life Coloring Books (Location: COL-ANI)
$3.99
Deadly Insects and Arachnids - Coloring Book
by Jan Sovak
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Insect Coloring Books (Location: COL-BUG)
$3.99
Dinosaurs - Coloring Book
by Spizzirri Publishing Company
from Spizzirri Press
for 1st-3rd grade
in Reptile Coloring Books (Location: COL-REP)
$3.95
Extreme Mammals - Coloring Book
by Patricia J. Wynne
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Mammal Coloring Books (Location: COL-MAM)
$3.99
Fairies and Elves - Coloring Book
by Marty Noble
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Literary & Fantasy Coloring Books (Location: COL-LIT)
$4.99
Fairies Around the World - Coloring Book
Clr from Dover Publications
in Literary & Fantasy Coloring Books (Location: COL-LIT)
Fairies to Paint or Color - Coloring Book
Clr from Dover Publications
in Literary & Fantasy Coloring Books (Location: COL-LIT)
$5.99
Gargoyles and Medieval Monsters - Coloring Book
by A. G. Smith
from Dover Publications
for 1st-3rd grade
in Literary & Fantasy Coloring Books (Location: COL-LIT)
$5.99
Harry Potter Magical Places & Characters Coloring Book
Clr from Scholastic Inc.
for 6th-Adult
in Literary & Fantasy Coloring Books (Location: COL-LIT)
$15.99
History's Mysteries! Animals
by George Toufexis
from Dover Publications
for 4th-7th grade
in Animal Life Coloring Books (Location: COL-ANI)
$3.00
Horses in Battle - Coloring Book
by John Green
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Horse Coloring Books (Location: COL-HOR)
$3.99
Illuminated Alphabet
from Dover Publications
for 1st-5th grade
in Alphabet Coloring Books (Location: COL-ALPH)
$6.95
Inspire: Proverbs: Coloring & Creative Journaling through the Proverbs
Clr Csm from Christian Art Publishers
for 6th-Adult
in Adult Coloring Books (Location: COL-ADULT)
$14.99
Inspire: Psalms: Coloring & Creative Journaling through the Psalms
Clr Csm from Christian Art Publishers
for 6th-Adult
in Adult Coloring Books (Location: COL-ADULT)
$17.99
Kaleidoscopic Design - Coloring Book
from Dover Publications
in Abstract & Mosaic Coloring Books (Location: COL-ABS)
$5.99
Let's Explore! Forest Animals - Sticker Coloring Book
by Dot Barlowe
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Animal Habitat Coloring Books (Location: COL-HAB)
Let's Explore! Sea Animals - Sticker Coloring Book
by Jan Sovak
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Water Life Coloring Books (Location: COL-WAT)
$7.99
Little Mermaid - Coloring Book
by Thea Kliros
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-4th grade
in Literary & Fantasy Coloring Books (Location: COL-LIT)
$4.99
Mix & Match Princesses
from Dover Publications
for Nursery-1st grade
in Literary & Fantasy Coloring Books (Location: COL-LIT)
Monkeys and Apes Coloring Book
by John Green
from Dover Publications
for 1st-3rd grade
in Mammal Coloring Books (Location: COL-MAM)
$4.99
Monster Bugs: A Close-Up - Coloring Book
by Diana Zourelias
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Insect Coloring Books (Location: COL-BUG)
$3.99
Monster Reptiles - Coloring Book
by Diana Zourelias
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Reptile Coloring Books (Location: COL-REP)
$3.99
Monster Sea Creatures - Coloring Book
by Diana Zourelias
from Dover Publications
for 1st-4th grade
in Water Life Coloring Books (Location: COL-WAT)
$3.99
Mountain Men: The History of Fur Trapping - Coloring Book
by Jeff Prechtel
from Dover Publications
for 3rd-6th grade
in History of America Coloring Books (Location: COL-HISA)
$3.99
My First Human Body Book
by Donald Silver, Patricia J. Wynne
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Anatomy Coloring Books (Location: SCI-ANACOL)
$3.99
Night Before Christmas - Coloring Book
by Clement C. Moore, illustrated by John O'Brien
81st edition from Dover Publications
for 3rd-5th grade
in Literary & Fantasy Coloring Books (Location: COL-LIT)
$4.99
Official Dune Coloring Book
by Frank Herbert; illustrated by Tomislav Tomic
from ACE Publishing
for 4th-Adult
in Literary & Fantasy Coloring Books (Location: COL-LIT)
$17.00
Ojibway Indians - Coloring Book
by Chet Kozlak
from Minnesota Historical Society Press
for 3rd-9th grade
in Native American Coloring Books (Location: COL-NAM)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Op Art - Coloring Book
by Jean Larcher
First Edition from Dover Publications
for 4th-Adult
in Abstract & Mosaic Coloring Books (Location: COL-ABS)
$4.99
Optical Illusions - Coloring Book
by Koichi Sato
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-Adult
in Abstract & Mosaic Coloring Books (Location: COL-ABS)
$3.99
Richard Doyle's Fairy Land - Coloring Book
by Marty Noble
Clr from Dover Publications
for Kindergarten-6th grade
in Literary & Fantasy Coloring Books (Location: COL-LIT)
$3.99
Rip Van Winkle - Coloring Book
by A. Rackham, P. Stewart, W. Irving
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-4th grade
in Literary & Fantasy Coloring Books (Location: COL-LIT)
$4.99 $3.00 (1 in stock)
Scenes of Olde New York Coloring Book - Coloring Book
by Peter F. Copeland
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in History of America Coloring Books (Location: COL-HISA)
$5.99
Sea Animals - Coloring Book
by Pat Stewart
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-4th grade
in Water Life Coloring Books (Location: COL-WAT)
$3.99
Start Exploring the American West
by Emmanuel M. Kramer, illustrated by Helen I. Driggs
from Running Press
for 1st-5th grade
in Western Expansion (1800-1898) (Location: HISA-19WES)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Story of Christopher Columbus - Coloring Book
by Peter F. Copeland
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in History of America Coloring Books (Location: COL-HISA)
$4.99
Tale of Peter Rabbit - Coloring Book
by Beatrix Potter, Coloring Books
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Literary & Fantasy Coloring Books (Location: COL-LIT)
Teddy Roosevelt Coloring Book - Coloring Books
Dover Coloring Books
by Gary Zaboly
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in History of America Coloring Books (Location: COL-HISA)
$3.99
Tropical Birds - Coloring Book
by Lucia de Leiris
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Bird Coloring Books (Location: COL-BIRD)
$4.99
Unicorns - Coloring Book
from Dover Publications
for 1st-6th grade
in Literary & Fantasy Coloring Books (Location: COL-LIT)
$3.99
Velveteen Rabbit - Coloring Book
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Literary & Fantasy Coloring Books (Location: COL-LIT)
$4.99
Visual Illusions - Coloring Book
by Spyros Horemis
from Dover Publications
for 4th-Adult
in Abstract & Mosaic Coloring Books (Location: COL-ABS)
$3.99
Wedding Traditions from Around the World - Color Book
by Brenda Sneathen Mattox
from Dover Publications
for 3rd-6th grade
in Holiday Coloring Books (Location: COL-HOL)
$3.99
Wild Animals - Coloring Book
by John Green
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Animal Life Coloring Books (Location: COL-ANI)
$5.99
Wonderful Wizard of Oz - Coloring Book
by Coloring Books, L. Frank Baum
1st edition from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Literary & Fantasy Coloring Books (Location: COL-LIT)
$6.99
World of Turtles - Coloring Book
by Claude Thivierge
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-4th grade
in Reptile Coloring Books (Location: COL-REP)
$3.99