October 5, 2015
Ljungkvist pairs the sophisticated design of her Follow the Line books with the hidden-object aspect of her 2013 collaboration with Mem Fox, Yoo-Hoo, Ladybug!, as she asks readers to locate animals and objects in patterned spreads packed with dogs, insects, fish, and more. Similarly posed, overlapping animals with varying colors and textures keep things challenging—a cat-themed page features felines shown in silhouette, outline, and photographic textures. The straightforward, reader-directed text appears in large circles, a kind of visual pun on the “spot” of the title. Bold, contrasting colors and the midcentury atmosphere of the artwork (the lily pads Ljungkvist creates for several dozen frogs recall “boomerang” patterned Formica from the 1950s) make this seek-and-find book stylish enough to spawn a wallpaper line. Ages 4–7. Agent: John Rudolph, Dystel & Goderich Literary Management.

August 1, 2015
Creator of the Follow the Line series, Ljungkvist here trains her digital tool kit on the seek-and-find format.The opening is a colorful compendium of shapes that fill the double-page spread from top to bottom; hundreds of empty windows decorate the preponderance of rectangles in this "big city." Readers are challenged to find 10 miniature cats. Then come the dogs (many collaged), followed by horses in a pasture, chickens on a farm, and so on. Several scenes look like mid-20th-century Formica-countertop designs, with outlines of overlapping animals layered on silhouettes of others. The "farm" is actually a solid yellow background. Single-color pages with instructions are interspersed between the busy scenes, offering a visual break. The text serves primarily to direct: "In a big field outside / the city, all the horses are / grazing in the pasture. / SEARCH and SPOT / 7 blue horses, / 6 that are brown, / 8 pink horses, / and 4 that are orange." Although children love to search for hidden objects, it may be only the most obsessive that continue to the end. Many will tire of the repetitive patterns, some with hundreds of similar-looking creatures. With only the barest suggestion of a narrative-exploring implied settings from morning to night-and no compelling character to relate to, it is likely that this book will compel children who are not serious puzzle aficionados to search for something else. (Picture book. 4-8)

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June 1, 2015

K-Gr 3-In the popular tradition of seek-and-find books, this title presents a visual puzzle, inviting readers on an adventure from city to countryside and back. Not merely a grouping of photographs, each digitally designed page encourages the inquisitive to spot expertly hidden objects within colorfully patterned backgrounds, tricking the eye with minute changes between images of different shape, size, and silhouette. It's a hunt for detail and increasingly difficult with each page-demanding that viewers find birds that do not chirp, hooting owls, "scampering" rabbits and squirrels among the trees, a daddy longlegs on a page of outlined insects, or a shadowy kitten in the geometric lines of tall buildings at sunset. Soft on the eye, the pages avoid bright clutter, but conceal images within subdued colors and contrasts, encouraging searchers to identify patterns or note an irregularity. Just as one might celebrate finding the last of the animals, there's even a final request to examine each page yet again. This book is a treat for those who enjoy testing themselves visually; the collection draws on prior knowledge and provides scenes of morning to night. VERDICT A welcome addition for a wide range of readers.-Mary Elam, Learning Media Services, Plano ISD, TX

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2016
Ljungkvist uses page-turns to play a game of hide-and-seek in this creature-themed search-and-find book. Requiring readers to pick out distinct shapes from what at first look like random patterns, the puzzles become increasingly complex. Each spread is an elegant display of design and balance, worthy of close observation even after the search-and-find goal is met. A website shows the animals' locations.

(Copyright 2016 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

November 1, 2015
Swedish designer Ljungkvist (Follow the Line Through the House, rev. 7/07) uses page-turns to play a game of hide and seek in this creature-themed search-and-find book. The puzzles come in two formats: spreads made up of a busy mixture of similar shapes ( Search and Spot 10 cats looking out their windows on this sunny morning ) and cleanly designed pages showing specific creatures to find on the next spread ( Many different kinds of dogs are out for their morning walk. Turn the page, and Search and Spot all of these furry canines ). Requiring the reader to pick out distinct shapes from what at first appear to be random patterns, the puzzles become increasingly complex. The more carefully readers look, the more observant they will become, finding exact matches among similarly shaped objects. Ljungkvist uses the digital medium to its fullest, employing a clean, retro-chic palette and repeated forms that differ in subtle ways. This is not a book to be rushed through and is certainly not meant for large groups. But it could be enjoyed a few pages at a time, or even all at once, by a child who is up for a challenge. Each spread is an elegant display of design and balance, worthy of close observation even after the search-and-find goal has been met. For those who lack the necessary patience, a website listed on the final page shows the location of each hidden animal. lolly robinson

(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)