Customer Reviews

Dotty

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Seems to me that picture books get split into very particular genres pretty quickly. I actually keep lists of them on my computer at work, depending on how many requests I receive. There are the Bully picture books. The Dinosaur picture books. The People in Our Community picture books. And then there are two genres that sometimes get split up and sometimes merge together. These would be the Invisible Friend picture books and the Starting School picture books. Now you'll see a fair amount of bringing your blankie to school picture books out there ("OwenOwen" being the best example). And you'll see more than a few anxiety-ridden titles. Imaginary friends at school books are rarer, though you do see them occasionally (the Kevin Henkes title "Jessica" comes immediately to mind). Now with "Dotty" we've a title that takes two different ideas, combines them, and comes up with a way of showing that putting away childish things is a selective process.

On the first day of school Ida takes care to bring with her a new lunchbox, a pair of striped leggings, and her imaginary friend Dotty. Dotty resembles nothing so much as a benign combination of cow and toadstool. At school, Ida discovers that many of her classmates have similar companions. There are Max's twin sea serpents, Benny's razor-toothed R.O.U.S., and Katya's doodle-brought-to-life Keekoo. As the school year progresses, however, Ida discovers that more and more of her schoolmates have stopped bringing their friends to class. By the time spring comes around Ida is on the receiving end of the now worldly Katya's teasing and she reacts angrily. The two girls write "apology" notes, and then Ida has a discussion with her teacher Ms. Raymond. After promising that she'll explain to Dotty that pushing people is inappropriate, Ida spots a red leash belonging to her teacher, not dissimilar at all from Dotty's leash. It may well be that special friends are the kinds you keep with you always.

Essentially, in this book you're looking at the changes a kid goes through in the course of a single year of school. With that in mind, Perl's choices are pretty interesting. For example, Ida's friend Katya begins the book with a tiny imaginary friend that swings on her braids. Later she gets a haircut and keeps the creature in her pocket secretly. That haircut sort of marks a rite of passage for Katya. The growing out of imaginary friends is shown in different ways. I would have liked some clarification on what grade Ida was in, of course. This seems to be her first day of school ever, which would mean that this is Kindergarten. Still, these kids look older than Kindergarteners, and the pseudo-apologetic notes written near the end are more 1st or 2nd grade material.

Take note that the illustrations by Denos look patently simple but have details that the five-year-old inside of me appreciated. I liked that two out of three of Ida's lunchboxes featured images that are not always associated with girls in books (a dinosaur and outer space). In fact, you'll find that the image of Ida waking up on the title page shows drawn pictures of a dino on the wall and a toy dino and space rabbit (the third lunchbox displays a rabbit) sitting on the windowsill. I liked that Gert, Ms. Raymond's own invisible friend, actually appears early in the book in two scenes, hiding. I liked that Ms. Raymond's neck scarf matches Gert's furry coat, and that Ida is usually seen wearing dots or big round buttons to match Dotty. The publication page's explanation of the Denos technique is amusing, saying that "The illustrations in this book were made with brush ink and a bit of Photoshop here and there." Love that "a bit". An interesting choice of words.

The text was choice. At no point, I should note, are the words "imaginary friend" uttered in the course of the story. The story takes the creatures that come to the school for granted. I found myself wondering at what point the child readers would understand that Dotty was an imaginary friend. Later, would they recognize that Dotty hitting Katya was actually Ida hitting Katya? This may be giving kids too little credit, of course. It's entirely plausible that a kid reading this book is going to recognize that the reality of the situation (i.e. children bringing strange creatures to school) doesn't work and that therefore these must be imaginary friends. Still and all, I'd love to take a poll to see how many parents reading this book to their kids, stop and say clearly, "Now this is a book about an IMAGINARY FRIEND" for the "benefit" of their children's understanding versus those who just let the text stand for itself.

To a certain extent this book reminded me of "Yellowbelly and Plum Go to School" by Nathan Hale. The obvious difference, of course, is that while the monsters in this book are figments of the children's imaginations, in "Yellowbelly" they're all too real. The pairing of Perl and Denos comes off as particularly strong here. One can hope that they'll be put together on similar books in the future. Particularly if those books have the same mix of sweetness and wisdom as you'll find in the beloved "Dotty". A charmer of a book.

For ages 4-8.

Dotty's delightful illustrations and endearing text will support kids still in need of comfort objects, even when the world says imaginary friends aren't cool. But more than that, it sends a subtle message to all that it's cool to be who you are. Dotty is a great small group read aloud (the illustrations are too special to be lost within a fist-time full class read) and ought to be on the suggested reading list of every K-2 teacher and librarian. The slightly retro illustrations with help keep current fashion trends from outdating the text, thus making this a great choice a teacher's classroom investment. I hope this one stays on the shelves and moves into many reprints; it's a treasure.

Both my daughters (7 and 10) loved the story, though they may be a little older than the target demographic, they were both touched by the story of Ida and her imaginary friend Dotty. It is about growing up and the conflict that takes place as children start to let go to their childhood but realize its the best time they'll ever have. A charming friend like Dotty should convince any kid not to "grow up" too fast! The illustrations and sparkly cover are a gorgeous plus.

This was an utterly adorable story! Within its few pages it brings you from smiles to sadness and back again to a happy, tender smile. It was masterfully written with beautiful illustrations by Julia Denos. This incredibly fun book would make an ideal gift for the imaginative child. I very highly recommend it!

I read this book last night to my 5 year old son who is interested in reading Star Wars books only (except for 93 In My Family, also by this author). He loved it, much to my delight b/c I did too. The story is just great and the illustrations are superb. Love the way both Dotty and her teacher are portrayed. An absolute gem!

Dotty is one of those picture books that I couldn't help but want to read at first glance. When Ida goes to school, her imaginary friend Dotty goes with her.


"At morning meeting Ms. Raymond counted noses. Ten, eleven twelve. Ida frowned. She patted Dotty reassuringly. Thirteen, she silently added. "


In the beginning all of Ida's classmates have imaginary friends as well. Soon Dotty is the only one left. Ida is tease for still having Dotty. She even gets into a fight with a classmate. In the end Ida's teacher, Ms Raymond revelation makes Ida feel much better about still having Dotty.


Deno's colorful illustrations are a perfect match for Perl's wonderful text. Dotty is a great story that features a diverse cast of characters. Its one of my favorite picture books of the year.

Returning to school after summer holidays is always hard. But nothing eases those back-to-school jitters more than taking along a tried and true friend for support and comfort, even if it's an imaginary friend. Which is just what Ida does. She's had Dotty, a big dinosaur looking creature with red spots, for forever and takes her just about everywhere, especially to school. But it's no big deal, because all of her friends have imaginary tag-a-longs too. Max has his twin imaginary pals, Pete and Repeat, Benny has Spike, and Katya never goes anywhere without Keekoo going with her.

But when the kids return to school again after winter holidays, most of Ida's friends show up without their make-believe sidekicks, deeming it "too babyish" to have them in their lives anymore. Pretty soon, Ida is the only one left bringing her fantasy pal to school, and begins to feel ashamed in still believing in Dotty. At first, Ida tries to shoo Dotty away as well. But with a little help from Ida's teacher, she learns that you're never too old to believe in the magic of a true friend--even an imaginary one.

Lyrical prose by Erica S. Perl, and whimsical illustrations by Julia Denos make Dotty the kind of story you'll want to read over and over again, especially when you too need a reminder of the power of using your imagination.
--Reviewed by Jill MacKenzie

This is a sweet book about a young child and her imaginary friend that demonstrates how teasing in a school classroom can be hurtful. When one little girl Ida is teased because she hangs onto her imaginary friend longer than any of her classmates, her delightful, empathetic teacher comes to her rescue. The brush ink and Photoshop illustrations represent a lively multicultural classroom setting.

Did you ever have an invisible friend? It is Ida's first day of school. She takes her new lunch box and Dotty, her imaginary friend with horns and bright red spots. Other kids have special friends too, like Max's non-identical twins Pete and Repeat, Benny's buddy Spike with razor sharp teeth, and Katya's chattering Keekoo. But after winter holidays, Katya says that Keekoo is "for babies," though she still keeps her in her pocket. And by spring term, Ida is the only one who still brings someone. Her classmates start teasing her about Dotty, and Ida begins to wonder if Dotty is welcome any longer. Dotty is so angry that she even pushes Katya. Is there anything that Ida's teacher Ms. Raymond can do to help?
Many children have imaginary friends. I know that I did when I was small, and both of my boys did too. Many youngsters also have back to school jitters, and author Erica S. Perl's relatable story will help to quell those jitters. And the colorful brush ink illustrations by Julia Denos will help young readers or listeners to visualize the events. Dotty is a story about imagination and loyalty that will resonate with anyone who has ever felt reluctant to part with an imaginary friend. I found it to be a charming picture book that children will enjoy.

My kids (3 yr-old girl and 5 yr-old boy) just love Dotty. The story and illustrations are wonderful and the characters are lively and diverse. Not only are we having a grand time reading it (again and again!), it has sparked some colorful conversations about imaginary friends--their own and those of their (real) friends. And-bonus-my daughter can't get enough of the glitter on the cover.