From Publishers Weekly
Somewhere in these oversize pages there is a story of friendship between two nice but lonely people: an infinitesimal woman (Note: picture of Dot has been magnified a flajillion times) and a ginormous man (His toes are so far from his head that if Larry steps in a puddle, he doesnt know it till tomorrow). But the story is not the point with
New Yorker wits Marx (
Now I Will Never Leave the Dinner Table) and Chast (
The Alphabet from A to Y with Bonus Letter Z!), who pack the book with so many asides, meta-jokes, knowing nudges and weak couplets (And one last thing. I dont mean to be rude/ My name is Dot. Youre a nice-looking dude) that the plot and characters become incidental: cartoon narrators barge in midway, We interrupt this story to bring you the intermission.... Hey, howd you like to take a look in another part of the book? Its as if the author and the illustrator started from the supposition that children are hardened storytelling cynics, and delivered accordingly. Redirect this one to Marx and Chasts adult fans. Ages 4–8.
(Jan.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 3—A quirky tale of an unlikely friendship between beyond-ridiculously small Dot and extra-large Larry. Though the title gives the impression that Dot enters Larry's world, the book is more about how the characters don't fit in with average-sized people and how they eventually find one another. The text reads like a Dr. Seuss offering with its rhymes and made-up words. For example, on "The Chart of Tinies," Dot is shown to be littler than a "Glot (small), Zot (quite small), Sprot (even smaller), Krot (unbelievably small)," and Chot (ridiculously small)." Dot has a hard time finding friends: sand grains are preoccupied with being a beach while fleas are too busy making dogs itch. Of course, Larry doesn't have it any easier: the house at 66 Edgars Lane refuses his invitation for a walk, saying, "I'm stuck here, in charge of the Johnsons' stuff." And in response to his wanting to play hide-and-seek, the weeping willow only cries. Then, when Larry almost eats Dot one day, the two become friends. Marx's humor combined with Chast's
New Yorker-style illustrations make for quite a sophisticated read. The pen-and-ink and watercolor artwork is filled with clever details and touches, and dialogue balloons add wisecracking fun. Some words and concepts may go over the heads of younger children, but the rhyme schemes and short sentences make this a lively and original read-aloud.—
Kim T. Ha, Elkridge Branch Library, MD Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
