Former GB student publishes colouring book that focuses on locations, landmarks and history in the city.
Explore and learn the history of Toronto, all while colouring in a book.
Historic Toronto Around George Brown Polytechnic – A Colouring & Discovery Book, was created by London Craftwell, a former George Brown student who studied graphic design.
The book takes readers and artists through 50 images, allowing them to discover and learn about locations, landmarks and the history of the city – especially around the college.
Released in August 2026, Craftwell notes that while the book only took a few months to complete, the premise took half their life to understand.
“The idea goes back to my arrival in Toronto. I came from Newfoundland the day before classes began. I had a ride, limited funds, very little knowledge of the city, and a big dream. I was dropped at the Eaton Centre on a cold January day and suddenly had to figure out how this new place worked,” said Craftwell. “I knew the frustration and fear of not being ‘in the know,’ but also the excitement of being somewhere new. As I developed the book, I realized I wasn’t the only person who had felt alone or disconnected. There are people who arrive somewhere new without knowing how things work, while the people who already know the system often don’t have time to explain the simple things.”
With so many students starting at George Brown each year, the city or even just the area may be unfamiliar to them. The book can help connect those who may not have the time to stop and know what they’re seeing, or give them a better connection to the city.
“For someone arriving at George Brown, it can make the area feel a little less unfamiliar. For someone who studied or worked there years ago, it can bring back places and memories they may not have thought about in a long time.”
With the book now available, Craftwell has plans to continue releasing books in a larger Historic Places colouring series.
“I have more places in Toronto that I want to explore. I’m interested not only in the history of a place, but in what people remember about it—the buildings that have changed, the things that have disappeared, and the things that somehow remain. My Historic Cabbagetown book is getting ready and should be out soon.”
In addition to the book focused on Cabbagetown, Craftwell says that a walking tour of the area is already in the works. With these two things coinciding, they hope that people know that exploration doesn’t have to end when the tour does.
“I like the idea of a walking tour having a book that corresponds with it. You can follow along, or you can simply take the book home at the end. You can colour it, share it, give it to your kids, your dog sitter, a friend—or even the paper boy, if we still have those.”
In addition to covering the Toronto area as it was, Craftwell hopes to continue series as places change, highlighting things that have been added, lost or have managed to remain.
There are also the hopes to build an experience in Niagara Falls. Craftwell says they have been documenting the history of the area and hopes to bring the work off the pages and into the places themselves.
At it’s core, the book is not only a tool for engagement and learning, Craftwell notes that it’s meant for people so they know they belong.
“I don’t want to simply tell people what something is. I want to give them a reason to stop, look, wonder about it and perhaps go see it for themselves.”
Historic Toronto Around George Brown Polytechnic – A Colouring & Discovery Book is available for purchase on Amazon, with hopes that it will be available on campus store shelves as well.
