Spot, a polka-dot leopard who can change colors and even juggle his own spots, tries to convince two children that he is special enough to be exhibited in the zoo.

The silly polka dotted protagonist of this children's classic has been charming children since 1960. Each page contains 2-3 short sentences with simple words and rhyming lines - perfect for the beginning reader. The pictures are simple and old fashioned; ink lines and sketched in with colored pencil. There are typically only 3-4 different colors per page, and white space for the background. If your child is doing the reading, the extra white space helps them focus on the words. If you are doing the reading, the simpler pictures encourage children to let their imagination fill in the blanks. It is good to note the facial expressions of the two children on most pages, as they say a lot without words.

There are many ways to learn while reading this fun book, besides the obvious task of having your little one sound out the words and put their reading skills to work. For instance, you can count the number of spots on each page. Some pages are easy, but others may keep your little one busy for several minutes. Counting the spots is also a great quiet time or independent activity. It's also fun to take the lines, "Why should they put you in the zoo? What good are you? What can you do?" and go over with your child what things they can do. Can they summersault backward? Can they touch their arms behind their back? Can they sing very well? Your child will get a kick out of coming up with hidden talents they have, and silly reasons they could be put in a zoo too!

I have read this book with my niece, Emily, who has just turned five. After reading it through a few times, I started leaving the last word out in each sentence and having her read it to me. She knew they rhymed, so that served as an aid while she sounded it out (she had an idea of what the word should sound like). Emily was excited to read together and would sometimes shout out her word before I got to the end of the sentence. I didn't mind, since it meant she was enjoying the experience of reading!

--Audra