There was a point in my life when I somehow became an adult. When, how, or why it happened are still extremely fuzzy to me. I sometimes still believe that once I hit the prime age of 10, I stopped aging altogether.
Maybe it’s the fact that I’m still only five feet tall, or I'm in college, which essentially means “adult preschool,” or maybe I’m just one heck of a free spirit. I don’t hesitate to cross the line from adulthood into childhood as if I were simply walking from one room to another.
So, it’s no surprise that coloring is a pastime I will never retire. And apparently, I’m not the only one who feels strongly about taking a pack of 64 neon crayons to a crisp new sheet of paper. Because now, the “grown up” coloring book trend is in full swing.
But why do we need to differentiate between a child’s coloring book, and a "grown up" coloring book? Simple. "Grown up" life is hard, and stress is a mounting problem among young adults who are juggling education, careers, relationships, networking, and dreaded student loans.
I love coloring a purple cat as much as the next person, but that’s just not going to cut it. "Grown up" coloring books are designed to relieve stress, and work the creative muscles in all of us. Regardless of artistic talent, if you can take a colored pencil to a sheet of paper, and stay inside the lines (Or not. It’s all about artistic expression!), then you’re ready to get coloring.
These 10, "grown up" coloring books, are just a few of the many books, designed to remind adults what it’s like to possess the care free and imaginative nature of a child once again:
1. Johanna Basford's, "The Secret Garden."
For the adventurer.
2. Blue Star Coloring's, "Adult Coloring Book: Stress Relieving Animal Design."
For the animal lover.
3. Johanna Basford's, "Enchanted Forest."
For the fairy-tale believer.
4. Angie Grace's, "Balance."
For the zen mandala-enthusiast.
5. Majorie Sarnat's, "Creative Haven Owls Coloring Book."
For the wise.
6. Blue Star Coloring's, "Ocean Animal Patterns."
For the marine biologist.
7. Johanna Basford's, "Lost Ocean."
For the ocean explorer.
8. Adult Coloring Books', "Colorful Cats: 30 Best Stress Relieving Cats Designs."
For the crazy cat person.
9. Valentina Harper's, "Creative Coloring Inspirations."
For the optimist.
10. Theo Nicole Lorenz's, "Unicorns Are Jerks: A Coloring Book Exposing the Cold, Hard, Sparkly Truth."
For the skeptic.






























