Spot the Dot

Spot the Dot by  Kris Herbert (EK Books) PB RRP $27.99 ISBN 9781921966675

Reviewed by Karen Hendriks

 Spot the Dot is a little dot trying to find his place in the world. He’s forgotten where he came from, so Spot goes on a journey of self-discovery. The story explores the themes of belonging, self-worth, identity and imagination.

Kris Herbert is an award-winning science journalist, storyteller, and children's book author. She lives and works in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Kris has spent over 20 years working across various print media formats and disciplines. She has a strong passion for New Zealand's unique flora and fauna.

Kris Herbert has created a 36-page interactive style book with hidden dots for a child reader to find within the text and images. The story has a sense of fun and discovery as the reader actively seeks where Spot the dot comes from. Spot tries many roles and eventually discovers that there are many places that he fits.

The rhythmic words work beautifully with the illustrations as they play together. The reader is called to action to help discover where Spot could come from. At times, questioning is used to move the story along and encourage the reader to think. The world-building of Spot is believable and simplistic. The final words of the sentences rhyme, making the reading very rhythmic. The problem is easy to recognise. A dot from what? Poor Spot forgot. There is letter identification and seeking; at times, the text changes the word size and font. The featured objects are varied and provide interest and amusement. I do think that the book could have been a little shorter, but it is a unique and engaging read.

The graphic style illustrations really do make this book unique. They are visually strong, with clean lines and shapes and a bold minimalist style. The images catch the eye and attract the reader's attention. Simple geometric shapes like circles, rings, and everyday shapes are used, which a young reader knows, and this also makes it easy to absorb information. A strength of this book is the interplay of the text and images. They really are woven together.

Spot the Dot is written for children ages 4-8 and appeals with its read-aloud ability and wonderful book design. Parents and teachers will find it an easy go to book that can be revisited often. Once a child understands how the book works, they will enjoy finding the dots and showing what they know. This book uniquely celebrates individuality and fun.