What’s Your Dot?

 

 Today’s post is about dots. Colorful dots. Big dots. Small dots. Medium sized dots.
Seem like a crazy idea for a post?

 Well, yes, unless you have read Press Here, an interactive picture book about how a dot can change itself everytime you turn the page.

 

 And then there’s Lots of Dots, by Craig Frazier. This is a delightful picture book we just added to our library.

“In this exuberant book, acclaimed graphic designer Craig Frazier does more than simply showcase a vast variety of dots, he encourages young readers to look closely at the world around them. Through his energetic images, the ordinary becomes extraordinary. Buttons are dots. Wheels are dots. Ladybugs have dots. And so do the fried eggs on your plate. Lots of Dots is lots of fun!”  Text by Chronicle Books

 

On Twitter, I learned about  the extraordinary work by the 82 year old Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, whose “Obliteration Room” is currently on display at the Queensland Art Gallery in Brisbane, Australia.

Yayoi started with a typical living room with the walls, ceiling and all contents painted white. Then she gave children brightly colored, adhesive dots in a variety of sizes to children to apply to whatever surface they desired!



 

These two books and the Obliteration Room gave me an idea.

Why not create our own dot book display in the library?

We could take dots and write titles of books we have read and staple them to our walls and ceiling! We will cover as much of the ceiling as possible while we are in our temporary library space.

Then when our school opens and the tractors and destruction equipment come to destroy the old building, we will see a rainbow of dots float to the ground as the ceiling collapses!

So, that’s exactly what we are doing! Our dot display is a celebration of reading!  We have already coverd the bulletin board and the wall above it, and now we are up to the ceiling!

 

Mrs. Hembree has her own mini-dot display of the titles of books she has read in 2012. She has set a goal of reading 366 books this year, and students can track her progress on the lavendar dot display. It’s on the lower portion of the display.

 

Students and staff are writing the titles of books on dots. Any book counts whether you read it, it was read to you, you listened to it on an audio-book, or read it on an e-Reader. Reading is Reading!

 

So… What’s Your Dot? Every time you read a book, stop by and fill out a dot. You can take some home, write the titles on them and bring them back! Every time you walk in the library, it will look different as our dot book display grows! Join in…..it’s fun!

*******************
What do you think about our dot display?
What book have you already read in 2012?
Have you seen or heard about The Obliteration Room in Australia?
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15 thoughts on “What’s Your Dot?

  1. Hi Mrs Hembree

    A brilliant (and dotty) idea to create your own Dot Display in your temporary library! It’s going to be VERY colourful when they demolish your library.

    I love the way teachers and students are writing books on the dots as well. It will make a vibrant record of the books everyone has read!

    I wish I had known about the Obliteration Room when I was just up in Brisbane…

    Happy reading!

    Miss Y 😀

    • Dear Miss Y,
      I’m so sorry you missed seeing the Obliteration Room when you were in Brisbane. I thought it would be a rather interesting installation. She has a series of exhibitions there with the dot concept.
      It sure is making our library very colorful!
      Great to hear from you!
      Mrs. Hembree

  2. Dear Mrs Hembree,

    I really love this dotty dot concept of once you have finished reading your book you write it on a dot and placing it on your dotty dot wall. I was wondering Mrs Hembree could you please fill in a dot for me. For the book which I love to re read over and over and have once again re read and finished is called To Kill a Mocking Bird.

    Also thank you for the interest information about the Japanese artist. I found it very interesting.

    Your dotty wall looks awesome and I must say your doing an awesome job with your reading as I have noticed you are well on your way of reaching your goal of reading.
    Well done.

    Thank for this dotty post Mrs Hembree.

    From one of your small dots down under,
    AA. 🙂

    • Dear AA,
      I would be honored to fill in a dot for you! I will take a photo of it and send it to you later this week. I love To Kill a Mockingbird as well. I re-read it last summer. Do you watch the movie as well?

      We are having a snowstorm and I will be leaving school soon. I hope my commute home is not too terrible. When we get snow in hilly Seattle, it is a bit of a nightmare.
      Snowy in Seattle,
      Mrs. Hembree

      I have read 44 books so far on my goal, so I am happy with that.

  3. @ Mrs Hembree,

    Hope you had a safe trip to and from school today. My hubby was just saying he saw it on our local news about the amount of snow your having.

    I do remember when we used to go to the snow my dad would have to place chains on the car wheels to enable more grip.

    Well done Mrs Hembree for reading 44 books. What has been your favourite so far Mrs Hembree?

    From your friend down under,
    AA.

    • Dear AA,
      Okay THAT is amazing! Our Seattle weather got on your local news in Australia? Thank you for your concern. I was able to drive home safely and had no issues. Many of the roads were clearn which was a nice surprise. Using chains is a top-notch method for getting grip, and I try to avoid putting on chains at all costs! I can’t do it, and if I need chains, I probably just need to stay home! So far, 4 wheel drive works for me. It’s really unusual for us to get a big snow storm, so I guess that’s why we are on our national news. We don’t have all the proper snow removal equipment, and if you combine that with thousands of steep hills and inexperienced snow drivers, you have quite the recipe for a driving disaster! People just abandon their cars in the middle of roads and walk home! Crazy!
      You asked a very hard question. Which books of the 44 I have read this year has been my favorite so far? I really enjoyed Bun Bun Button, a picture book about the relationship between a little girl and her grandmother by Patricia Polacco. It reminded me of the wonderful times I spent with my grandmother. I also enjoyed Diamond Willow, which is a middle grade book told in diamond shaped poems. Many of the others are books I’m reading as part of a Newbery and Caldecott challenge. They are “good for me” books! As a librarian, I think it would be good for me to have read these award winning books. Some I like, and some I don’t!

      Enjoy your warm weather!
      Snowy in Seattle,
      Mrs. Hembree

  4. Dear Mrs Hembree,
    I love the idea of making dots and writing down the books you are reading.

    Your dot display is awesome I think I might have to make a dot display in my room.

    The book I have read in 2012 is Cabin Fever 🙂 and Geronimo Stilton which were awesome books and I noticed something both of these books are set in America.

    Interesting question Mrs Hembree I have actually not heard of the Obliteration Room.

    From your pal,
    BB.

  5. Dear Mrs. Hembree,
    I love the spots program at your library.
    When I saw the picture of all those dots I said “wow”.
    From, Rasmus.

    • Dear Rasmus,
      Thank you for writing about our dot program! The best part for me everyday is when students come in and say, “Wow, look at all the dots!” Then they start reading the titles of the books on the dots and then even better, they start LOOKING for those books on the shelves! Pretty cool if you ask me!
      What book did you write down on one of the dots?
      From,
      Mrs. Hembree

  6. Dear Mrs. Hembree; I love your dots idea! Such a fun, colorful, VISUAL celebration of all the great books being read. Thanks for being so creative and making reading so much FUN!
    Sincerely,
    sherri

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  8. We used this for our Summer Reading Club with the Press Here book on display. All the kids’ have their name on a dot and when they read they add small dot circles onto their names. It is really fun!

    • Dear Ms. Martin,
      Thank you for your comment! The dot concept is a fun way to get kids involved with reading no matter what time of year! I bet the children love seeing all their dots on the wall for their summer reading! It’s a great colorful reminder!
      From,
      Mrs. Hembree

  9. Dear Mrs Hembree,

    I love this idea as a class display. What class level did you do this with? Would it suit all ages? I will have 10/11 year olds in the new school year and I’m interested in doing something like this to encourage them to read!

    Noreen

    • Dear Noreen,
      I did the Dot display after reading The Dot by Peter Reynolds. I am an elementary librarian, so I did it with all of my classes. Whoever wanted to fill out a dot, could pick up one, write the title and their name and have it posted. Our physical education teacher has done something similar for when students have reached a physical goal. I definitely think it’s something you can do with your students!
      Good luck!
      Julie Hembree

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