Pretty Costumes: Beautiful Costumes to Color    by Hannah Davies & Nellie Ryan Order:  USA  Can Simon & Schuster, 2013 (2013) Softcover      Reviewed by Bob Walch Here's an interesting variation of the traditional coloring book. Constructed on sturdy paper, each illustration is partially colored but it is up to the child to finish the job using colored pencils or markers. The theme of the book is cultural styles of dress and all the young girls pictured here are wearing clothing you'd expect them to wear in their native lands. In addition to these costumes you'll find patterned aboriginal art from Australia, dragon pattern fabric from China, patterned Grecian urns, a henna pattern from India, a Celtic knot pattern, and patterned glass beads from Italy that all need to be colored. Given the detail of the art, you'll want to use coloring instruments with fairly fine points, and manual dexterity is a must because of some of the intricate patterns. The scope and eclectic variety of the selections makes this not only a coloring book that will keep the child busy for hours but it also provides a tour of the world. The pages can also be carefully removed from the book for display or even be framed if one so desires. Although aimed at a younger audience, older budding artists and even adults will find this a relaxing and pleasurable way to wile away a few hours. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Kids books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews