Review: Enchanted Forest
Enchanted Forest is an inky quest and colouring book by Johanna Basford.
Back in 2013, Johanna released her first colouring book, Secret Garden, and spearheaded a new trend of colouring-in as a form of relaxation for adults.
This eagerly awaited follow-up takes readers on a new adventure through a series of majestic woodland scenes, travelling towards an enchanted castle, unlocking secrets and clues along the way. From leafy typography and acorn patterns to enchanted rivers and toadstool castles – it is a truly spellbinding adventure!
Johanna’s inky wonderland includes a whole host of woodland creatures to befriend and colour, each complete with is own majestic personality. Amongst the cast, you will find regal looking unicorn, intricately decorated dragon flies and a deer with the most extravagant antlers you have ever seen!
At the very end of the book, there is a key so that you can keep track of all the wonderful animals you have found.
Enchanted Forest takes its inspiration from the woodlands that surround my Grandparent’s house on the Isle of Arran. The woodlands were weird, wild, unpredictable and scary!
The books creator, Johanna Basford, lives and works in Aberdeenshire having graduated from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design in Dundee with a degree in printed Textiles. A firm advocate of hand-drawing, Johanna much prefers pens and pencil to pixels.
When talking about the inspiration behind Enchanted Forest, Johanna said “Enchanted Forest takes its inspiration from the woodlands that surround my Grandparent’s house on the Isle of Arran. The woodlands were weird, wild, unpredictable and scary!”
I love the playful way children see the world, as if through a wonderful lens that turn the mundane magical. In Enchated Frost, Tree stumps become curious dwellings, rivers flow into treasure laden caves and at the heartbeat of every forest lies an enchanted castle!
Johanna’s first colouring book, Secret Garden, had incredible success selling over 1 million copies worldwide and since then secret gardeners have been eagerly awaiting its sequel. Now both Enchanted Forest and Secret Garden are in Amazons top 20 best selling book list.
The reasons behind Johanna’s success are clear as soon as you set eyes on one of her books. From the gold foil detailing on its dust jacket and brown Kraft cover to the stunningly illustrated wonderland which you find inside, each detail of the book transports you into Johanna’s enchanted wonderland.
You can buy a copy of Enchanted Forest here.