The Three Dots

Author and Illustrator: Elise Primavera
Publisher : Putnam Juvenile
Ages: 4-8

This has to be the most popular book in our household in the last couple of weeks or so. Even after we have long returned it to the library, my daughter keeps talking about the characters or draws parallels with parts of the story to her own days.

Three Dots is a familiar story to anyone who's ever followed a musical band (I admit to listening to Backstreet Boys and Spice Girls growing up). A Band is created by like minded people, they become hugely popular and then differences set in, they break up.

It does seem like an adult topic for a four year old child right? Or not. After all she has a group of friends, who are constantly falling out with each other and making up over the silliest squabbles.

So coming back to the story - The Three Dots is set in New York, and is a story about three musicians who are from different places but have one thing in common - you guessed it - Polka Dots.

This one fact makes them different from their peers, for who has seen a duck or a frog or a moose with dots? And being so unique makes them misfits, they have no friends and each one turns to music instead. When the three DOTS meet, they click, form a band, and soon they make it big. What happens next is the inevitable.

Things we loved about the story itself are the messages : Different is also equal to Unique. Popularity is great but true friendship is rare and must be cherished. Not to mention the opportunity to talk about ego, loneliness and jealousy.

However more than the story it's the illustrations that take the cake, the bun and the bakery. All done in a oversized caricature-style with a lot of cute details thrown in. The part where the band (The Three Dots) become popular and go to all the talk shows with an Oprah looking hostess or where they play for a pouting Madonna and the Queen of England - had me laughing out loud.

This is a book for all ages, the adults will enjoy the quirky details and the story is engrossing enough for children young and old. However I think 4-8 year olds will enjoy it the most.