Dot.
It’s Perfect Picture Book Friday.
Here’s my PPBF selection:
Dot.
Written By Randi Zuckerberg
Illustrated by Joe Berger
Harper, 2013
Fiction
Suitable for: Ages 4-8
Themes/Topics: Technology, Family, Unplugging
Opening Line: This is Dot. Dot knows a lot.
Synopsis (from jacket): Meet Dot! She’s a spunky little girl obsessed with electronic devices. Dot knows a lot. She knows how to tap … to swipe … to share … And she pays little attention to anything else, until one day Dot sets off on an interactive adventure with the world surrounding her. Dot’s tech-savvy expertise, mingled with her resourceful imagination, proves Dot really does know lots and lots.
The first line of the Amazon synopsis twists the first line from the jacket: Meet Dot in this debut picture book by Randi Zuckerberg! (The exclamation point is all Amazon.)
Link to Resources: Here’s a link to an article about Zuckerberg’s two books released in 2013 Dot. the picture book and Dot Complicated by Randi Zuckerberg the website has a variety of family activities. As a family, you can do what Dot does in the book — unplug, go outside, and see what happens.
Why I like this book: I found this book during a discussion among picture book writers about Dot. by Randi Zuckerberg and hello! hello! by Matthew Cordell (2012). Zuckerberg is the sister of Facebook’s founder and used to work for the company. Now, she talks about ways to unplug and reconnect. When I read the book, I liked the simplicity of the text (just like last week’s pick) and the fun illustrations by Joe Berger. I enjoyed hello! hello!, but it didn’t seem as fun. Both have similar messages — families/children are too connected to technology and need to reconnect. As a frequent technology user, I get the message loud and clear. The main character does seem too young to be “tweeting” — as in using Twitter. Of course, it makes sense when she’s unplugged.
One interesting (if not odd) item I discovered while typing up this review is the illustrator is not listed as the copyright holder. “Text and illustrations copyright ©2013 by Zuckerberg Media Inc.” Typically, I see a copyright for the author and one for the illustrator.
This book falls into the “celebrity” picture book category, but I liked it. If celebrity kids books are not your thing, check out H.A.C.K.S. at Mike Allegra’s blog.
For more PPBF selections, visit Susanna Leonard Hill’s blog.