I love books like these when I am just judging a book by its cover.

I find myself naturally drawn to them on book store shelves.

Lots of times I hold them, consider them – and then leave them on the shelf.

I think I just don’t know where to fit them in.

Which is why it is an extra bonus to me to have an opportunity to receive and review this art book for Timberdoodle.

Recently I tucked this charming little book into my bag on an adventure day with my three middle schoolers.  (I’m still getting used to saying that.)  The younger two kids were at camp so the bigs and I wandered the streets of our favorite mountain town.

Over milkshakes we colored and drew and challenged one another to draw the “perfect” magic carpet.

This book is full of ideas and examples of multiple forms of transportation.

The idea is to challenge yourself to draw in various forms, maybe something you wouldn’t normally draw.  You can color in the pre-drawn examples.  You can copy the examples.  You can doodle across and add to the examples.  And you can create whatever drawing you feel like on the blank pages.  Plenty of options. 

For us, this little book is a bonus.  It’s fun.  It doesn’t feel like busy work and it doesn’t feel like regular school.  (But it does provide what I sometimes desire from the dreaded “busy work” without actually wasting my children’s time.)  It’s a challenge for whatever age picks it up because of its free form, take it as you will, sort of style.  The artist is self-challenged.

Various ages can use this book at any time and anywhere in the book. There’s no need to start at the beginning.

Timberdoodle includes 20 Ways To Draw A Bike in one of their complete curriculum packages that you can order.

I think it’s a fun extra little book to have around.  You could incorporate it into your student’s art curriculum if you wanted.  Your artistically gifted kids will enjoy the direction and the challenge and the ability to create whatever they like.  Your artistically challenged kids will like having a tad of structure and a guide to follow to encourage feeling successful at art.  It’s great for using during Read Aloud time as well – so far, that’s been our family’s most frequent use of 20 Ways To Draw A Bike.

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