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The Dot (Irma S and James H Black Honor for Excellence in Children's Literature (Awards)) Review
Her teacher smiled. "Just make a mark and see where it takes you." Art class is over, but Vashti is sitting glued to her chair in front of a blank piece of paper. The words of her teacher are a gentle invitation to express herself. But Vashti can’t draw - she’s no artist. To prove her point, Vashti jabs at a blank sheet of paper to make an unremarkable and angry mark. "There!" she says. That one little dot marks the beginning of Vashti’s journey of surprise and self-discovery. That special moment is the core of Peter H. Reynolds’s delicate fable about the creative spirit in all of us. User Submitted The Dot (Irma S and James H Black Honor for Excellence in Children's Literature (Awards)) ReviewsOctober 18, 2008 The Dot This book was just "okay". The illustrations are clever, but the ending is disappointing. Maybe some will be charmed with the simplicity, but it was just not for me. I did think it had possibilities for a classroom teacher for an art project. It was a good book to look through a few times, but not necessarily to own. October 13, 2008 Must buy children's book: Awesome! I love this book and my kids love it too. I'd say go ahead and buy it. It is a great story about how a student really learns how to channel negativity and frustration into creative expression and then take what she learns and teaches it to another person. October 5, 2008 The Dot is a MUST HAVE to inspire kids to create! The Dot is a story of one little girl's metamorphosis as she realizes that "if she tries, she can create something original"! It is simple but to the point. This story makes way for a lot of discussion about creativity and what it means to be INSPIRED to create! My classes in art at the Elementary level absolutely loved it! Lots of "DOT" pictures followed! Art Specialist --- Las Vegas, Nevada September 27, 2008 Celebrating Mediocrity This book was read at back-to-school night at Rosendale Elementary by the newly hired principal. The book celebrates mediocrity by framing in gold a half-hearted splotch of ink... once the teacher set such a low bar, the child thinks "I've got talent" and proceeds to create large quantities of mediocrity. It's all part of the dumbing down of quality and a feel-good educational system that rewards the smallest of effort. August 31, 2008 very touching Just like "Ish" this story warms my heart and I have enjoyed sharing it with my 4th grade students. It is a great way to teach that ALL art work is special, unique and valuable! June 30, 2008 Great Book! This is a great children's book. I have read a few of this author's books and I like this one the best. June 24, 2008 The Dot Simple, yet profound. Many lessons can be learned from this story. The Dot is encouraging and uplifting and I recommend it to everyone. June 9, 2008 A must have I love how this book helps kids make their mark. I use this book in my class rooms and it goes great with my little ones who are just learning how to make art for the first time. April 24, 2008 Amazing Book! This is one of the greatest kids books ever! Especially for my son, who always thinks he has to be perfect. This book shows kids that everyone has their own talents; it might not be what you thought was perfect, but it can still be beautiful and amazing, unique and yours. I hope this book gives more children the courage to do their own thing and express themselves. January 10, 2008 The Value of a Signature How do you teach a child confidence? You could put their work on the refrigerator, frame it, or talk about it with others. In this story the teacher frames a small dot drawn by a child who claims she is unable to draw. The little girl is also asked to sign her work, which emphasizes value. Society values signatures. We want the signed book, the signed football pendant, the autograph, etc. because we perceive it is more valuable. Children can relate to signatures. Children understand signatures mean something (whether it is a report card that needs signing, an illness note for school, or the need to sign a "take home" folder). Thus, immediately the little girl realizes when asked to sign her work that her dot, her creation, is also valuable. This wonderful story teaches children about trying, about at least starting, at least making an effort, and then seeing where that start can take you... This lesson is taught through art in this storybook but reminded me of what we were always told in writing, "Write, just start.... Henry Ford said, "If you think you can... or if you think you can't... you're right." This simple story illustrates a message of positive "can do" type thinking. I also especially like that the little girl passes on what she learns at the end of the story by asking a little boy to sign his work. Setting a good example and passing on your knowledge to help others is a lesson for all children! For more The Dot (Irma S and James H Black Honor for Excellence in Children's Literature (Awards)) reviews click here.
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