Growing up, I looked forward to getting a new coloring book as well as the ultimate in essentials, a brand-new box of Crayola color crayons by Binney & Smith. Have you decided that you are too mature for such activities? Well, think about these two coloring books as gifts for your children, or grandchildren—maybe they will even let you do some coloring. Of course, you could just admit it might be fun to relive your youth. Both large-format paperbacks feature 36 machines to color with a complete scene on one page and a smaller drawing with space to create your own scene and an informative caption on another page. Green Tractors (also titled John Deere) Coloring Book begins with the 1916 Waterloo Boy and ends with the 2016 Model 9570RX, with separate pages for each model. Caterpillar Coloring Book starts with the 1927 Model 20 and includes dozers, excavators, tractor-scrapers, shovels, and off-highway trucks, ending with scrapers, backhoes, and excavators for use on the moon and other planets. Caterpillar’s pages are serrated for removal—handy for sharing the coloring with friends—with the front and back of one sheet for each machine. Now, where did I put that box of crayons?

Book Review by Robert Gabrick