Design & Destroy (Creative Keepsakes)

[annieb123]

Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Design & Destroy This Journal is an art diary/journal with creative prompts intended to get the reader to fully interact with and change the physical journal. Released 11th May 2021 from Quarto on their Chartwell imprint, it's 204 pages and is available in hardcover format.

This is, quite simply, a book of prompts with instructions like "sew a button onto this page", "practice your signature", "write your favorite song lyrics", and many more. There are some (ok, a fair number) which I didn't feel were engaging to me personally (smear food fingers on the page, smudge, draw inside the circle til the page tears, etc), but that's to be expected for a journal of this type. Quite probably de rigueur, honestly, since one of the benefits of creativity journals is to push readers outside their current comfort zones.

This would make a good choice for potentially bumping artists or writers out of a dry spot, for warming up before an art session, or for creative play with younger readers (possibly bound with some pencils, drawing and/or crafts materials). For obvious reasons, it wouldn't be appropriate for library or classroom use.

Three and a half stars, speaking of the prompts themselves. I was provided an electronic review copy, so I can't speak to the quality of the paper, binding, or physical aspects of the book itself. I can say that Chartwell books tend to use high quality paper and binding, so it should be fine.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.