Melanie Martinez Colouring Book: Why the Controversy Still Happens

So, you've probably seen those pastel-colored pages floating around TikTok lately. People are freaking out, again. Honestly, it feels like every few months someone "discovers" the Melanie Martinez colouring book and decides it’s the most scandalous thing on the internet.

But here’s the thing.

If you actually know Melanie’s work, you know she doesn't do "normal" pop star stuff. She builds entire worlds. Dark, twisted, beautiful, and kinda uncomfortable worlds. The coloring books—specifically the Cry Baby and K-12 versions—are basically just extensions of that. They aren't meant for five-year-olds, even if the art style looks like it belongs in a nursery.

The Melanie Martinez Colouring Book: It Isn't for Kids

Let’s get the big elephant out of the room. This isn't a "Disney Junior" situation.

When the original Cry Baby Colouring Book dropped back in November 2016 via Ulysses Press, it came with a massive "Parental Advisory: Explicit Content" warning. It wasn't hidden. It was right there on the cover.

The book is 40 pages of Chloe Tersigni’s iconic illustrations. If those names sound familiar, it's because Chloe is the one who did the artwork for the Cry Baby album storybook. The images track the life of Melanie’s character, Cry Baby.

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• The "Soap" Page: This is the one that usually goes viral for the wrong reasons. It depicts Cry Baby with a bar of soap in her mouth. People call it "disturbing," but fans know it’s a literal interpretation of the lyrics. It’s a metaphor for regret—saying too much and wishing you could wash the words away.
• The "Tag, You're It" Scene: Yeah, there’s a wolf. He’s kidnapping her. It’s heavy stuff. But in the Melanie-verse, this is a fairy-tale retelling of trauma and survival.

Basically, it's an adult coloring book.

Calling it "child abuse material" is a huge stretch that ignores the context of the music. It’s horror-pop. It’s meant to make you feel a little bit of that "unease" we all felt growing up.

K-12 and the Shift in Style

Then came the K-12 Colouring Book in 2021.

This one is beefier—72 pages. It follows the K-12 film and album, moving away from the nursery and into the schoolhouse. The art is still "cutesy-creepy," but it feels a bit more refined.

You’ve got scenes of the Sleepwalker, the bus flying through the air, and the school itself. It’s less "nursery rhyme" and more "surrealist social commentary." Honestly, it’s a lot more fun to color if you like details. The lines are thinner, and there’s more going on in the background of each page.

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Where is the Portals Colouring Book?

If you’re a fan, you’re probably asking: "Where is the Portals one?"

We are well into 2026, and an official, mass-marketed Portals coloring book is still the "holy grail" for fans. Since Melanie moved into her pink, four-eyed creature era, the aesthetic has shifted toward moss, mushrooms, and rebirth.

There are plenty of "fan art" versions on Etsy and eBay. Some of them are actually really high quality. I saw one recently that includes 50 illustrations of her tour makeup looks and 20 pages of her signature masks. But if you're looking for an official release from her label or a major publisher like Simon & Schuster (who handled K-12), you're still waiting.

There’s a theory in the fandom that she might drop one for the 10th anniversary of Cry Baby or maybe as a final goodbye to the Portals cycle. But for now, you’re stuck with the OG two.

Real Talk: Quality and What to Watch Out For

If you’re going to buy a Melanie Martinez colouring book today, you need to be careful. Because these books are so popular, the market is flooded with "bootlegs."

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Genuine copies of the Cry Baby book should have the Ulysses Press logo. The paper is thick—kinda like cardstock—so you can use markers without them bleeding through to the next page.

The K-12 book is similar. If you buy a version from a random third-party seller on a giant marketplace and the paper feels like cheap printer paper? It’s a fake.

Pro-tip for coloring:
Don't use cheap crayons. The art is too detailed for that. Grab some decent colored pencils—Prismacolors are the fan favorite for these—or dual-tip alcohol markers. Just make sure to put a "bleed sheet" (a plain piece of paper) behind the page you're working on, just in case.

Actionable Next Steps for Fans

If you're looking to grab one of these or just want to explore the art, here is what you should actually do:

1. Check Barnes & Noble first. They often have the Cry Baby book in stock for around $10-$13. It’s the safest place to get an authentic copy.
2. Verify the Publisher. Before hitting "Buy" on Amazon or Walmart, check the product details. It should list Ulysses Press (for Cry Baby) or Simon & Schuster (for K-12).
3. Look for the "Explicit" label. If the book you’re looking at is being marketed as a "fun activity for toddlers," run away. That’s a seller who doesn't know the content, and it’s likely a low-quality reprint.
4. Join the Reddit community. Subreddits like r/MelanieMartinez are great for finding out when new merch drops or if someone has found a high-quality fan-made Portals book that’s actually worth the money.

The Melanie Martinez colouring book isn't just a book. It’s a piece of the story she’s been telling for a decade. Just... maybe don't gift it to your niece for her 7th birthday unless you want a very awkward phone call from her parents.