Dot.

September 30, 2013
Zuckerberg (yes, she’s related) debuts with a story of digital overload that delivers its message with zest and good humor. Dot keeps her frizzy blue hair in place with pink barrettes, wears a frilly dress, and has social media covered. Pictured in front of her laptop and tablet, Dot “knows how to tap” (on a keyboard), “to touch” (the screen of her tablet), “to tweet” (with a mouse), “and to tag” (in front of the laptop again). Dot Skypes, texts, and gabs on her cell phone, and when she burns out on technology, her mother kicks her outdoors with specific instructions: “Time to reboot! Recharge! Restart!” Dot doesn’t resist. There’s lots to do in her sunny, flower-studded neighborhood: “Dot remembers... to tap” (dance), “to touch” (tall sunflowers), “to tweet” (she whistles), “and to tag.” Berger (Princess in Training) mines the 1960s for his sherbet-colored spreads, from Dot’s midcentury modern living room to the fluffy terrier that follows her around. It’s an instructive, cheerful tale that doesn’t hit readers over the head with heavy-duty moralizing. Ages 4–8.

October 15, 2013
Dot is tech-savvy. Dot really likes using her many devices--all the time. But one day, after Dot appears to have overdone it, her mother tells her to go outside and reboot--which leads to a surprising discovery. Zuckerberg--CEO of her own media company and sister of Facebook's CEO Mark--is all too aware of the impact of technology on children's lives. With this title, she shows a respect for kids' interest and skill with technology but also illustrates the value in going out to interact with others. In the first half of the book, readers see Dot "tap" on a keyboard, "touch" a screen, "tweet" at a desktop computer and "tag" by using a mouse. She also "knows how to surf... / to swipe... / to share... / and to search." The second half of the book utilizes the same terms, but this time, Dot is happily tap dancing, touching a sunflower, whistling or tweeting like a bird, playing a game of tag with diverse friends and swiping paint to create a picture. Berger uses both traditional and digital media to portray a confident, squiggly-haired girl dressed in a pink, polka-dot dress enthusiastically immersed in whatever activity she chooses. On the pages where Dot is glued to a device, he limits the palette to bright pinks and oranges that contrast sharply with the remaining white space. Once she exits the house, walking like a sleepwalker, the spreads take on more color, with pale greens, blues and yellows. The story is a bit slight, but many parents who struggle with tech-obsessed kids will appreciate the message. Like it or not, Dot is truly a modern child navigating online and in person with equal success. (Picture book. 4-7)

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December 1, 2013

K-Gr 2-In this heavy-handed picture book, halted rhyming text introduces readers to a child who spends a lot of time with electronic devices. "This is Dot. Dot knows a lot. She knows how to tap...to touch...to tweet...and to tag." Cartoon illustrations with bright pinks and yellows show her happily moving from phone to laptop to tablet and back while a loyal little dog vies unsuccessfully for her attention. At the height of the story, readers learn that Dot loves to talk (and talk) through a phone or a screen, but the page turn finds Dot collapsed at the end of a string of devices. Her mother then propels her outside and the text repeats, "Outside...Dot remembers...to tap...to touch...to tweet...and to tag," with the visuals paralleling how these verbs function in the physical world. The story has a clear message, but the construction of the narrative is awkward, confusing, and overburdened with ellipses.-Julie Roach, Cambridge Public Library, MA

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