Polka Dot Penguin Pottery by Lenore Look - OPTIONAL

Look, Lenore and Yumi Heo Polka Dot Penguin Pottery. Schwartz & Wade Books, 2011. $17. PICTURE BOOK.

Aspen loves to write, but lately she hasn't been able to come up with anything at all. To cure her block, she goes on an expedition to a paint-your-own-pottery shop. Her difficulties follow her there, however, as she has no idea what to paint. When she figures it out with the help of others in the shop, she learns an important lesson about creativity.

The idea that creativity is about seeing things in a new way is worthwhile, and may help some children who have difficulty figuring out what to write or draw. However, the story is quite long and the pace is fairly slow, which could make it difficult to sustain young readers' interest. The spine of the book is at the top of the story instead of the side, so it opens vertically, not horizontally, which makes it awkward to share but could be fun for children who are looking for something different.

EL - OPTIONAL. Caryn.