DOG’S COLORFUL DAY

A pooch’s pure white coat becomes a magnet for spills of all sorts in this foray into counting and colors. Dog begins his day in pristine condition, his sole adornment a lone black spot on his ear. However, a dollop of red jam at breakfast, a drip of blue paint, and he’s soon on his way to becoming a Technicolor canine. Readers follow the carefree pup as each new adventure garners another colored spot on his once spotless coat. “Dog follows a little boy eating chocolate. Squish! The boy gives Dog a chocolaty pat—but no chocolate. Now Dog has five spots.” Every additional stain is duly tallied until Dog returns home, decorated in ten bright spots, where a quick soak in the tub restores him to his former glory. Dodd cleverly incorporates the introduction of colors and numbers into a rambunctious, fun-to-read tale. A wrap-up at the end, reinforces the color recognition just before the bath. Youngest listeners, notorious themselves for acquiring sundry spots and stains during the course of a day, will find a kindred spirit in Dog and commiserate. The intensely colored illustrations form a vibrant canvas for the text, with a digital application of the colors creating a uniformity of hue that saturates the pages. The simply rendered, large-size figures in the illustrations are just right for preschool audiences. Messy or not, the amiable Dog is one pooch any child would want to take home. Easy and effective. (Picture book. 2-5)