Animals and patterns are introduced with soft yet vibrant pencil-and-watercolor illustrations and three simple words: spot, spike, spiral. On the first spread, a scattering of black dots appears on a white background with the single word “Spot.” Three critters poke their way onto the next, framing “Spike” with needle-like beetle legs, barbed caterpillar growths, and a pointy insect’s horn. A shell and a curled tail and bug introduce “Spiral.” The pattern of words repeats twice more, illustrated with individual animals, until the rainbow-hued lanternfly demonstrates “Spot and Spike,” a furled Vietnamese rainbow millipede unites “Spot and Spiral,” and a veiled chameleon sports “Spot and Spike.” Toddlers will love the weird and beautiful animals, all identified in a final spread, and the repetition of the text, which will help them understand these patterns.
–Julia Smith, Booklist (Starred Review), May 31, 2019
