I love this coloring book because it has a lot of "item pages" which are my favorite. You can see in the photos - the pages with the birds and shoes and desserts etc. I don't usually color the pattern of places pages because I just don't enjoy those very much. The book has pages at the end with smaller thumbnails of all the pages which is nice. The only reason I've taken off a star is because I wish there were even more item pages and less of the others. And also because there is some color transfer to opposite pages. I primarily use prismacolor colored pencils for anyone wondering.

The drawings are cute and fun to color, however the quality of the book isn't great. The pages are double-sided and the paper is thin. I use Stabilo pens for my coloring and they bled through the pages. The first page I colored, I didn't realize the ink was bleeding through the paper until I was almost done with the page. The ink actually bleed through 2 pages before I put a piece of blank paper between them. Unfortunately, there is no way to prevent the ink from ruining the drawing on the other side of the page. So when picking a page to color, I suggest either using pencils, or choose a page that doesn't have a drawing you really care about on the other side.

I bought "Secret Paris" to give as a gift, so I can't say exactly what tools would work best for coloring. The book is 9.75 inches square. Illustrations are printed on both sides of the paper, which is not flimsy, but I expect very wet ink, such as markers, would bleed through it. There are 87 pages to color. Printing on both sides of the page makes some sense, not only because it allows for more pictures, but often a large, less detailed picture is printed on the lefthand page and a collage of smaller, more detailed drawings on the same theme on the facing page. There are also 17 "wallpaper" designs featured on the lefthand pages, for those who like to color geometric patterns.

The subjects featured in the drawings are of a quaint, feminine Paris. The artist, Zoé de las Cases, is an artistic director at a creative agency in the city. There are 23 pages of buildings, 11 of clothing, 8 of food, 6 of kitchen and household items, 2 of perfume bottles, 2 of birds, and collages of many other common items, like cameras, insects, and chairs. The larger drawings, especially those of buildings, are rendered somewhat imprecisely, like rough sketches. The level of detail varies, but it requires some creativity on the colorist's part to give the buildings texture and detail, which may not appeal to everyone. The smaller drawings, usually presented in collages, are more intricate.

The nice thing about the variety of styles and sizes is that, if you are in the mood to use big strokes, you can color the big pages, while the collages offer a the opportunity to color small details. If you want to color something intricate, try the floral wallpaper, cameras, or insects. The clothing is among the most detailed subject. I get the impression that the artist really enjoys drawing clothing and accessories. The small objects in the collages are nice, because they can be completed fairly quickly. If you would rather not embark on a big project, just color a fruit or a handbag. There is something for everyone here, in terms of size and style, which is the book's strength.

At just under fifty (50) pages, "Secret Paris" provides someone many hours of concentrated effort and personal creativity coloring your way through its ever present images of the "City of Light." There are line drawings of Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower, Sacre Coeur (near and far), Academie Francaise, the Obelisk in the Place de Concorde, Au Printemps, building facades, birds, pigeons, chic eye glasses, womens' shoes, purses, ice cream cones, les fleurs, un Deux Chevaux (Citroën 2CV), cameras and so much more to entertain and delight the committed colorist.

This book is my current favorite (until Toyko & Paris arrive)! Fun & relaxing for me, & pretty exciting for elementary school girls (they loved the bikinis/bras & panties with various cosmetic items on the facing page. "Look at all the pretty dresses!")
This artist does really gorgeous illustrations, (not too pristine, perfect or precious: my issue with the top-selling coloring book series). You can see from the front cover, the windows & bricks are drawn a little rough or rustic. The landscapes are a wee bit "rough" like this,& I mean this as a high compliment. I find it far more appealing and relaxing than the most popular coloring books :)
It's a very cool book just to read in black & white. There are wonderful series of items to enjoy: assorted candies, insects, kinds of ice cream treats, cameras, sewing items, fruit, kitchen items, shoes, teapots, eyeglasses, handbags, sweaters, chairs, birds, and so on. Many of the "variety of items" pages face a huge single item from the variety, or a page of geometric patterns. Some of them face a page which depicts a landscape/landmark, or other outdoor scene (a row of houses, random city scenes).
It's simply a fascinating book.
I'm glad both sides of the page are illustrated. I use pencils & this presents no problem. The girls used Pipsqueaks markers which may bleed through a little bit, but what's the worst case scenario here? I have to buy another copy!
I pre-ordered, & can't wait to get Secret NY & Secret Tokyo! I hope Zoe de Las Cases continues to crank out these wonderful books.