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Lots Of Spots (2010)

by Lois Ehlert(Favorite Author)

3.43 of 5 Votes: 2

ISBN

144240289X (ISBN13: 9781442402898)

languge

English

genre

Poetry

publisher

Beach Lane Books

review 1: In this nonfiction text, Ehlert’s Lots of Spots takes a playful look at the natural appearance of animals and the distinctions of their spots, stripes, and colors. Each page of this dynamic text introduces an animal or group of animals, its appearance and importance which are identified through the use of poetry and rhyming words. Ehlert’s purpose through Lots of Spots is to encourage young readers to notice the differences between animals, even subtleties between the same species. To introduce the Red-Winged Blackbird, Ehlert writes, “red and yellow patched on each wing, red-winged blackbird sings of spring.” Children will respond to the text’s rhythm and rhyme as each animal is described and characterized based on their distinct look and vibrant coloration. �... more�Rhyme helps to create the musical quality of a poem, and children enjoy the ‘singingness' of the story's words. The book’s light quality and simplicity of text through short poems give it a playful feeling for readers to enjoy. Smaller children will enjoy pointing out the wide array of animals such as the badger, Dalmatian, lizard and penguin while older readers will be intrigued by the book’s engaging language and description nestled within personified animal illustrations. This book would be a useful tool to incorporate into units on animal classification, pattern, texture and descriptive language. It would also be an exciting way to introduce young children to nonfiction texts or reading for information as although there are not color photographs of each animal, Ehlert uses her knowledge of animals and their many distinctive markings to depict them through her unique style of illustration. That, coupled with her playful use of language would allow early readers an introduction of animal characteristics and markings. Set against a white backdrop, Elhert’s illustrations positioned on full page spreads are exciting. Through various types of paper, colors and textures, Ehlert’s illustrations reflect the details of each animal. Often animal patterns and colors blend in with their natural habitats, giving Elhert great reason for the use of white space as backgrounds. The overlapping of paper in various colors, sheens, and textures give each animal a realistic and naturalistic quality, capturing their differences in appearance. The text and illustrations blend seamlessly. Elhert experiments with the use of space in nestling different species of animals together contrasted against white space. The use of endpapers is important as the book begin here, with the cover page printed on endpapers. The text begins here too with the introduction of the diverse coloring in schools of fish. The playfulness of the book’s text is enhanced through images of animals; their shape lends the reader to identify their characteristics and mannerisms by leading the eye across the page. One particularly favorite illustration is that of the giraffe whose long neck extends across two pages, clearly characterizing its length and all important patterns of geometric shapes. This book is powerful in Elhert’s seemingly effortless sense of space, imagery and language. Readers of all ages will be engaged and enthralled in this nonfiction text’s funny language portrayal of interesting animals and complex collage illustrations. It will leave the reader excited in looking closer at animals, their patterning and why this makes them so unique.
review 2: Might serve as a great introduction to a unit on animals, camouflague, or adaptations. With a sprinkling of poetry, alliteration, rhyme and rhythm this books walks students through all the ways spots, patterns and coloring are defining traits or characteristics of various animals. For more advanced students could be a good jumping off point for a discussion of fiction versus non-fiction as the picture book format with poetic language juxtaposes with a sprinkling of facts. less

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