Synopsis
Asked to leave the circus because the audiences have seen all his tricks, Spot the dog hopes to show them new tricks by turning different colors and changing the shape of his spots.
| Details | | Publication Date: | 1996-02-01 | | Series: | Beginner Books |
| Size | | Height: | 9.3 in | | Width: | 7.0 in | | Thickness: | 0.2 in | | Weight: | 8.0 oz |
Publisher's Note
Illustrated in full color. Thirty-seven years after creating the breakthrough reader Put Me in the Zoo, Robert Lopshire has brought Spot back. This time, Spot must perform new and exciting tricks in order to convince the circus folks to keep him on. He changes colors, he breaks out in plaid and argyle, and even does his best Jackson Pollock imitation. The result? Old Spot might just be too good for the circus!
Spot must perform new and exciting tricks in order to convince the circus folks to keep him on. He changes colors, breaks out into plaid and argyle, and even imitates Jackson Pollack. The result is that one spiffy Spot just might be too good for the circus. Full color.
Industry Reviews
K-Gr 2 Spot, from Lopshire's popular Put Me in the Zoo (Beginner Books, 1960), makes a return. This time, the agile dog's circus act has grown old and he's in danger of losing his job. Spot feels that he still has plenty of interesting tricks, which he shares with his two young friends. His stunts involve turning a variety of colors and adapting different patterns, neither of which are particularly inventive or interesting. Put Me in the Zoo earned its popularity with Dr. Seuss-like whimsy and catchy rhythming text; this latest effort, however, falls flat. The cartoon illustrations seem dated and lifeless; the text is uninspired. Marilyn Taniguchi, Santa Monica Public Library, CA
Lopate
Released in the Beginner Books paper-over-board format so well known to Dr. Seuss's countless fans, this slight tale stars Spot the dog, last spotted in Put Me in the Zoo. Addressing a pair of kids looking as if they'd stepped out of a '50s primer, the dejected canine explains why he has been dismissed as a has-been: "Folks saw my spots up in the air. Folks saw my spots most everywhere. The circus says that's all I do. The circus wants somebody new. But I have more that I can do... all kinds of tricks and all brand-new!" But "brand-new" is hardly an appropriate description for the subsequent sing-song monologue, in which Spot reveals his talent for transforming himself into a variety of colors and patterns. While ably employing Seussian repetitions and cadences, the text helped little by the stale art lacks the vitality of Lopshire's best work. Ages 4-7. (Apr.)
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