The Line: A Colouring Book

The Line is a delightful colouring book by emerging illustrator Alice Bowsher. A neon pink line runs through the book. It starts off as a tightrope and then turns into a washing line, a table, a mountain, a road, etc, and on each page circus animals, crazy garments, towering plates of food and unusual vehicles are drawn in Alice s bold black brushstroke, begging to be brightly coloured in. Every other page is a gatefold page, so that each spread of the book effectively stretches over three pages. When the gatefold is closed, the concept of the previous spread meets the concept of the next spread. So, a circus bear on a tightrope is hanging from the tightrope by the scruff of his jacket, in such a way that he is simultaneously part of the tightrope spread and the washing-line spread. In this way, despite the absence of text, the book has a wit and a concept at its heart that provides an additional level of engagement. The book is saddle stitched with a neon elastic band stretched horizontally across the front, acting as a line wrapping around the book. A gorgeous gift book that children will adore.