Sonderbooks Book Reviews by Sondra Eklund

Buy from Amazon.com

Rate this Book


Sonderbooks 66
    Previous Book
   
Nonfiction
Fiction
Young Adult Fiction
Children's Nonfiction
Children's Fiction

Picture Books

    Contemporary
        Previous Book
        Next Book


2004 Stand-outs
2003 Stand-outs
    Previous Book
    Next Book

2002 Stand-outs
2001 Stand-outs

Five-Star Books
    Previous Book
    Next Book

Four-Star Books
Old Favorites
Back Issues
List of Reviews by Title
List of Reviews by Author

Why Read?
Children and Books
Links For Book Lovers

About Me
 
Contact Me 
Subscribe
Make a Donation
Post on Bulletin Board
View Bulletin Board

I don't review books I don't like!

*****= An all-time favorite
****  = Outstanding
***    = Above average
**      = Enjoyable
*        = Good, with reservations

   cover

*****The Dot

by Peter H. Reynolds

Reviewed November 4, 2003.
Candlewick Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 2003.  32 pages.
Available at Sembach Library (E REY).
Winner of the 2004 Christopher Award for ages 6-8.
A Sonderbooks’ Stand-out of 2003:  #5, New Picture Books

Here’s a simple story with a strong message for children and adults both.

Vashti believes she can’t draw.  She refuses to put anything on her paper in art class.  When her teacher says, “Just make a mark and see where it takes you,” Vashti angrily jabs the paper and makes a dot.

Her teacher’s reaction surprises her.  She pushes the paper back to Vashti and says, “Now sign it.”

When Vashti sees her signed art framed over the teacher’s desk the next day, she knows she can make more interesting dots than that.

This ends up as a beautiful story about making your mark, and not judging yourself by other people’s standards, and appreciating individuality.  The drawings add to the story, with colored dots around Vashti showing us her moods.

A powerful little book.

Reviews of other books by Peter H. Reynolds:
Ish
Guyku
The Water Princess

Copyright © 2005 Sondra Eklund.  All rights reserved.

-top of page-