Dog’s Colorful Day by Emma Dodd
Dog starts out as a white dog with one black spot on his left ear. But man, does he get dirty! First there’s the “drip” of red jam that lands on his back. Now dog has two spots. Then his tail “dips” into the blue paint the man painting the front door is using. Now dog has three spots.
As you might suspect, it doesn’t end there. A bee drops yellow pollen as it flies by, a bouncing ball “splatters” dog with gray mud, and so on.
By the end of the book you and your little one will have counted to ten, and identified 10 colors. There are also a range of lovely spot-related nouns (like “smudge”, “splatter” and “blob), broadening out from typical toddler vocabulary. There’s a round-up of all the spots at the end which is great for discussion and recall. The bright, clear illustrations are perfect for the audience.
What Maya loves: This one is a favorite – one we have read many, many times. My top tip is to return to it at age 3 if your 2 year old isn’t ready for it.
Recommended age: 2-4
