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I lived next door to my grandparents when I was a young girl, and their home was constantly filled with visiting family. It's no wonder that I spent a lot of time with my many cousins because of this, and we spent many wintery afternoons playing or drawing indoors. I remember that one of our favorite activities was coloring. My cousin Tina and my Granny taught me their special way of coloring - dark borders on the outside with a lighter inside - and I would color for hours if no one disturbed me. If someone had asked me what my favorite pastimes were, I certainly would have named coloring as one of them - I thought I would never stop!

Well, we all grow up unfortunately, and I did stop coloring as I grew older. Apparently, however, my fondness for it didn't completely go away. A few weeks ago my son asked me to color a few pages with him, and I was surprised at how quickly I fell back into my 'special' method, and how involved I got in my drawing. It's amazing how childhood pursuits stay so close to our hearts!

Imagine my pleasure when I was asked to do a coloring book review just a few days after that! Sometimes the timing for things like this seems as if the universe is trying to remind us to slow down and remember who we used to be. I was more than happy to accept, and a friend of the artist behind the book's concept sent me a copy of Le Chateau Bidaine. Although this post has been sponsored (meaning I received money, goods, and/or services in exchange for my writing) please know that my thoughts and opinions are always 100% my own.

For more on my disclosure policy, please see the tab marked 'Let me disclose to you'.

Before we go further, let me outline the premise of this very special coloring book. Unlike the typical coloring books you might find, this one is detailed to the point that it could be a collector's item. The home (or chateau) in the book is actually an elaborate miniature house that was created to look like the real Chateau Bidaine in France. The miniature version was created by the artist I spoke of earlier, Suze Perry-Hinkle. 

Suze is famous for her minature art and love of all things French; and this book is meant as a token of recognition to her mentor in French art, Lillian Williams, who owns the home the book and miniature are based on.

Although I had investigated the book a bit before it arrived on my doorstep, I was still a bit taken aback as I leafed through the pages - nothing had prepared me for the detail that was involved in the drawings! I had originally intended to let my son color a page or two in the book and ask him how he liked it, but I couldn't bring myself to allow his childish-scribbles to sully what could only be called a work of art.

It should be noted that this book is recommended for children 8+, since this is really more for children who want to create something special and have a love of drawing or art.

I decided to call my sister-in-law and have her bring my 12-year-old niece over since she is in a good age range for this book, and she absolutely loves to draw and color pictures.

I wasn't disappointed when, as soon as she opened the book, she exclaimed at the pictures and took it over to show her mother. I happened to have a beautiful set of art markers on hand, and she happily spent an hour coloring at the kitchen table.

When she was done, she told me that she liked the book very much, but she had a bit of trouble getting the shading correct since some of the markers were so dark that they covered up a the lighter areas of the drawing. For this reason, I would suggest using lighter markers, or a nice set of colored pencils. Many of the illustrations have delicate features to them, and I recommend gifting this book to a child who likes to take his or her time with their artwork. As a bonus, the pictures have wording in French and English, so this would also make a fun workbook for a child who wants to learn another language.

I have been trying to pull away from the technological gifts that are becoming ever-more popular with children these days, and focus more on the types of gifts that I would have received as a child. Although video games are fun, it is becoming more and more obvious that too much time in front of the TV is a problem for many families. Why not toss in a traditional present such as this one now and again to even things out?

Do you think this would make a great present for someone you know? You can purchase the book on Amazon at this link! Find out more about Suze and her incredible career here, or connect with her on her Facebook page or her Etsy Shop!

Wait, there's more! In remembrance of all the wonderful winter days I had with my much-loved Granny, I'm offering a giveaway to my readers! The winner will be able to cozy up with this prize pack featuring a copy of Le Chateau Bidaine and everything else you need to have a great time indoors! This would be perfect for a 'Mommy & Me' day, whether for yourself or as a gift to someone you know!

(The giveaway for this product has expired, check out our Giveaway page for any that might be available.)