Oodles of doodles

The simple little cartoons that people scribble while they are chatting on the 'phone or listening to boring conversation keep the hands busy while the brain is otherwise occupied.

They can also really improve a person's drawing skills and creative thinking.

Best of all, it does not take a great artist to make really great doodles.

So, grab a pencil and a rubber, and get started! Just follow the delightful illustrations and instructions to capture bananas and caterpillars, apples and ants, feathers and faces.

With just a few strokes - a rainbow arc, a wavy line, a small cone for a stem - make an acorn appear on every page.

Complete the picture by giving it a smiley face and a "speech balloon" with some witty words inside. * A practical and fun introduction to drawing - it is just a short jump from a single picture to a fully-fledged comic strip! * Step by step art instruction for 7 to 12 year olds.