Is that Spot going past Joan and Marie’s pie shop? A pair of legs blocks the view.
The boy can’t find his cat. He prints out lots of LOST posters and sticks them up at the bus stop, and on poles.
Spot walks over a bridge. Beneath, a man manoeuvres a large boat by pushing a long pole. Children are fishing. A turtle walks to the water.
Can anyone see Spot?
The illustrations appear like cinemascope across double spreads. A bird’s eye view shifts to a ground view. There are flying kites; people jogging. A Frisbee sails through the air towards a dog. A boy stands under a fountain. But where is Spot?
Is he outside the Fire Brigade building? Perhaps he’s in the train station?
The boy can’t see him anywhere. Dejected, he heads home.
I love wordless books. They challenge the imagination and allow the reader to participate. Intricately illustrated in black ink, the complex scenes become stunning works of art. Even the advertising placards have been carefully constructed to add humour and entertainment to the background.
Kids will love this book. It will encourage them to build their own story around what they see, for there is so much to discover and ask about.
Beautifully presented, it comes with a stunning jacket. A blue strip across the top is the only other colour used. The plain end pages are also in the same blue.
Title: Spot the Cat
Author: Henry Cole
Publisher: Simon & Schuster, $26.99 RRP
Publication Date: April 2016
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781481442251
For ages: 4+
Type: Wordless Picture Book