Zendoodle for Children: New Book

Here's a delightful book for that special child in your life. And there's a unique twist to the contents. Zendoodle for Children is a story about Milli and Matti, two pattern mice! What's a pattern mouse?

Zendoodle for Children

The descriptive blurb at the Schiffer web site says it best:

"Children will love following along with a charming pair of white mice named Milli and Matti as they search for colorful patterns to wear to the Festival of the Animals. Along the way they meet many animals such as a zebra, bee, tiger, ladybug, and armadillo, packing the animals’ body patterns into their suitcase. The mice take turns drawing the patterns on each other and invite readers to draw along in the book with a felt-tip pen. This kind of repeat pattern-painting is called zendoodling and has a relaxing effect. Included are simple Zendoodle tips and 25 animal outlines for children to copy, enlarge, and fill in for hours of fun."

Well, you say. Can we see them? They're kind of sad here because they're looking for beautiful patterns to decorate themselves with in order to go to the Festival of Animals.

Milli and Matti in their "plain" skin before the Festival of Animals

Now, look at this giraffe all decked out in so many Zendoodle designs. OK. I know you didn't read all that text above and you're asking: "What the heck is Zendoodle?" It is repeat pattern painting. See all the repeats in the sections on the giraffe!

Milli (or maybe it's Matti) with a new, best friend going to the Festival of Animals

They discover a patterned wall and a chessboard. Can they draw them?

 They hear a snore up in a tree and look up. Yikes! A leopard. But he goes back to sleep. This guy has a natural pattern. Can they draw it?

Matti and Milli discover the pattern on a leopard

 And, of course, another natural pattern in the rings of a tree stump! How beautiful!

They discover all sorts of natural patterns around them

The book is a wonderful story and includes lots of places for children to draw the patterns - Zendoodle. I used to doodle when I was young. Wish I still had some of those scribbles.

Be sure to check Zendoodle for Children out. I've already shown this to my grandchildren and I think I will gift it to my little 3-1/2 year old granddaughter. The boys are more interested in laser guns, walkie talkies and Legos!