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Spots in a Box
One bird searches for the perfect print for his plumage in this original story.
A young guinea fowl concerned by his lack of spots sends off for some in the mail. When the box arrives, the spots aren’t quite what he was expecting. After trying on big spots, small spots, striped spots, and even glow-in-the-dark spots, he finds a pattern that suits him perfectly in this touching, quirky celebration of individuality.
A young guinea fowl concerned by his lack of spots sends off for some in the mail. When the box arrives, the spots aren’t quite what he was expecting. After trying on big spots, small spots, striped spots, and even glow-in-the-dark spots, he finds a pattern that suits him perfectly in this touching, quirky celebration of individuality.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published February 10, 2015
2 people are currently reading
103 people want to read
About the author
Helen Ward
104 books34 followersHelen Ward won the first Walker Prize for Children’s Illustration and twice won the British National Art Library Award. She has also been short-listed for the 2003 Kate Greenaway Medal. She lives in Gloucestershire, England.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
December 22, 2016
At first I was turned off by how simplistic and odd this is, and by the gimmicks on some pages that remind me of the deplorable Rainbow Fish. But the more I think about it, the more I appreciate what's going on here. Unfortunately, I can't find the words to articulate for you what's special about this treatment of a common theme. I will say this, though: children raised on books like this must have a real hard time with school uniforms....
ETA - thought about it a bit more, and I guess what I liked is that the theme is expressed not just by the bird's own story, but also by the artwork. The art on each page spread explores slightly different aspects of style and design as it helps tell the story.
And yes, I am reading more by Ward.
ETA - thought about it a bit more, and I guess what I liked is that the theme is expressed not just by the bird's own story, but also by the artwork. The art on each page spread explores slightly different aspects of style and design as it helps tell the story.
And yes, I am reading more by Ward.
April 4, 2020
I did not have a chance to hear about this book unless I found a piece of tablecloth in Zimbabwe Airport where this statement written "There was a Guinea fowl without any spots, which made him feel odd cause the others had lots." I like it too much and had a photo of it.
I searched online to read it till I found this beautiful kid telling the whole story ❤️ https://youtu.be/SnFVEHHZKRg
love the story and this kid ❤️❤️
I searched online to read it till I found this beautiful kid telling the whole story ❤️ https://youtu.be/SnFVEHHZKRg
love the story and this kid ❤️❤️
May 20, 2015
A guinea fowl is worried about his lack of plumage design, so he sends off for spots in the mail. They come wrapped in brown paper and string, something that always makes a package more intriguing. But inside, they are not the spots he expected. They are too big for his taste. Luckily though, more spots arrive. Some are too small, others too sparkly. Still others glow in the dark! But eventually after looking at lots of different options, our protagonist picks out some spots that are just perfect and they may not be what you may have expected. Yet they are just right for him.
Ward has written a winning book. Written in rhyme that is never forced but feel very natural, this book is a pleasure to share aloud. The real focus here are the illustrations and those are what make the book so interesting. A large part of the joy here is the silliness of a bird shopping for spots. That is made all the more fascinating because our guinea fowl hero is drawn very lifelike and reacts like a bird would. It is a delightful mix of reality and the rather farcical humor of shopping for dots and spots.
This book is about design and personal style without it being about pink things and tulle. So it’s a very refreshing addition to book shelves where children who have different tastes will find themselves imagining what spots would suit them in life. The design of the book itself is lovely with nods to leopard print and playful die cut pieces at times.
Very young readers will find lots to love here with pages that sparkly and some that have raised spots. It’s also a great book to inspire drawing or discussions of style. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
Ward has written a winning book. Written in rhyme that is never forced but feel very natural, this book is a pleasure to share aloud. The real focus here are the illustrations and those are what make the book so interesting. A large part of the joy here is the silliness of a bird shopping for spots. That is made all the more fascinating because our guinea fowl hero is drawn very lifelike and reacts like a bird would. It is a delightful mix of reality and the rather farcical humor of shopping for dots and spots.
This book is about design and personal style without it being about pink things and tulle. So it’s a very refreshing addition to book shelves where children who have different tastes will find themselves imagining what spots would suit them in life. The design of the book itself is lovely with nods to leopard print and playful die cut pieces at times.
Very young readers will find lots to love here with pages that sparkly and some that have raised spots. It’s also a great book to inspire drawing or discussions of style. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
December 3, 2024
Very cute and funny rhyming story about a guinea fowl who had no spots - unlike all the other spotted guinea fowl! He ordered some spots, but the wrong kind kept arriving! We see him with all different kinds of spots until finally the right kind of wrong spots arrive. Guinea Fowl loves them! Even though they're all colourful and don't match his friends. On the last page, we see some of his friends decked out in some other wrong kinds of spots and stripes!
"So the best spots to choose if it's friends that you seek, are the spots that you find put a smile on your beak."
"So the best spots to choose if it's friends that you seek, are the spots that you find put a smile on your beak."
February 14, 2019
I love spots. When this little guinea fowl needs some spots, he knows what to do! But are they the right ones for him?? Yesssssss!
April 3, 2019
Cute, colorful and charming
March 14, 2018
A simple but diverse book exploring different elements of art and design. A hidden message at the end makes this book a real treasure.
April 4, 2015
Poor guinea fowl, born with no spots! To help himself feel less out-of-place, he mail-orders replacements, but every delivery is wrong...until one very special boxful makes him smile, and he knows he's found a fashion statement that's all his own.
I love this picture book for so many reasons. The moral about wearing what makes you happy -- even if it doesn't match what everyone else has on -- is wonderful. The illustrations are creative and amusing, with some fun formatting choices that set them apart. Best of all, it's tons of fun to read aloud, with spot-on rhyming (pun intended) and a flowing rhythm. Highly recommended.
I love this picture book for so many reasons. The moral about wearing what makes you happy -- even if it doesn't match what everyone else has on -- is wonderful. The illustrations are creative and amusing, with some fun formatting choices that set them apart. Best of all, it's tons of fun to read aloud, with spot-on rhyming (pun intended) and a flowing rhythm. Highly recommended.
April 15, 2015
A guinea fowl attempts to set right the fact that it doesn't have spots though the other creatures of its kind do. The guinea fowl sends away for spots, but for one reason or not they are all wrong; in the end, though, the wrong dots end up being the right dots.
GREAT story, simple imagery with humor very well incorporated. Watercolor illustrations. PreK-2.
GREAT story, simple imagery with humor very well incorporated. Watercolor illustrations. PreK-2.
July 4, 2015
This is absolutely perfect for preschool story time in every way. So excited to use it in the fall.
October 12, 2017
I wasn't really looking forward to reading this one, but I was pleasantly surprised it. It was perfect for my preschool aged twins. I love the illustrations and they loved the added textures on the pages as well as all the different kinds of spots. Great book for kids.
June 10, 2018
How did I miss this fabulous book? Thanks to a Goodreads friend who reviewed it, I got to read it too.
So fun and so clever with bright imaginative illustrations. Who would have guessed that Guinea Fowl could be so much fun? I absolutely loved this.
So fun and so clever with bright imaginative illustrations. Who would have guessed that Guinea Fowl could be so much fun? I absolutely loved this.
September 14, 2019
This was a fun one for my 2 year old. She loved the cutouts in the cover and touching all the different dots, especially the ones on the last page. Cute message without hammering you over the head with it. And funny to have a book about a guinea fowl, something I know nothing about.
September 25, 2017
2014. Has cut out holes, touch and feel holes. Guinea fowl has no spots so he orders some. They aren't quite right but he ends up making it work!
October 26, 2017
I really liked this story of a spotless peacock who buys spots so that he can be like the other peacocks.
August 2, 2018
The rhymes are terrific, the illustrations are gorgeous, and the message of authenticity is sweet. Plus, uhm, books featuring guinea fowl are rare!
December 13, 2018
Simple rhyming words that make this a great book for reading aloud to children
January 17, 2020
themes: be yourself, wear what you like
February 15, 2021
Interesting illustrations
September 2, 2021
Fun.
A guinea fowl is without spots, he feels left out and works to find his own way.
A guinea fowl is without spots, he feels left out and works to find his own way.
November 26, 2021
Preschool
February 17, 2022
Great book about a guinea fowl who doesn't have spots like the rest of his friends. He tries a bunch of different spots to get just the right ones!
June 29, 2022
“I like it because he had colorful dots”
November 29, 2022
A fun book about spots.
October 10, 2023
Super cute book, a guinea hen without spots tries to order all kinds of spots by mail-order.
March 15, 2024
Clever illustrations!
May 27, 2015
SUMMARY: "There once was a Guinea fowl without any spots, which made him feel odd 'cause the others had lots." The fowl writes and asks for some spots to be sent to him. But the wrong kind are delivered. Very large ones ones come instead of small ones. More spots arrive, but they are way too small. The fowl goes through one box after another, none of which will work. Until one day, a box comes with spots "that were wrong in the right sort of way." They were perfect for him.
ILLUSTRATIONS: The illustrations were created in watercolor. They consist mostly of the guinea fowl and the spots with a few completely fun twists.
THE GOOD: What brings the most joy to the reader from this story are the fun twists. It begins with a hole in the front cover. Then there is a page where the spots are actually holes in the paper and when you turn the page the fowl is black with yellow spots. It feels like magic (how did those holes go from black to yellow?). There are shiny paper holes and connect the dot holes. I won't give the rest away, but my favorite are the spots that fit him perfectly. They are made with a raised texture so you can feel them. But what I like the most about the whole story is how the guinea fowl realizes that the best way to make friends is to be yourself.
THE NOT AS GOOD: The writing is a bit clunky at times especially when a rhyming verse is split and you have to turn the page to get to the rest. But the illustrations more than make up for this.
AGE RECOMMENDATION: Ages 3-7
ILLUSTRATIONS: The illustrations were created in watercolor. They consist mostly of the guinea fowl and the spots with a few completely fun twists.
THE GOOD: What brings the most joy to the reader from this story are the fun twists. It begins with a hole in the front cover. Then there is a page where the spots are actually holes in the paper and when you turn the page the fowl is black with yellow spots. It feels like magic (how did those holes go from black to yellow?). There are shiny paper holes and connect the dot holes. I won't give the rest away, but my favorite are the spots that fit him perfectly. They are made with a raised texture so you can feel them. But what I like the most about the whole story is how the guinea fowl realizes that the best way to make friends is to be yourself.
THE NOT AS GOOD: The writing is a bit clunky at times especially when a rhyming verse is split and you have to turn the page to get to the rest. But the illustrations more than make up for this.
AGE RECOMMENDATION: Ages 3-7
February 28, 2018
Cute with a bit of a lesson at the end. I think the preschool kids would be OK with this one, and love the end with the bright spots (especially if I let them come feel the raised, colorful spots). The different spots are fun see as well.
2/17/16 Used in my G is for... theme. (Guinea fowl). By this point, one of my regulars had finally shown up, and he knew how to interact with me and the book. That helped the other kids loosen up a bit. They all seemed to enjoy the different spots, and I had them sort of act out the different spots, too. Then at the end, I had them all come up and feel the spots the bird finally went with it. Wasn't a huge success, but was the best of today's choices.
2/21/18 Used in G theme. They enjoyed. They might not have been as reactionary in enthusiasm, but lots of smiles and seeing the different dots. Went around to each to have them feel the dots and they liked.
2/25/18 Daddy read on Father's Night to kids. Then we read it for a bedtime story with both kids. SD loved it. SS seemed indifferent.
2/17/16 Used in my G is for... theme. (Guinea fowl). By this point, one of my regulars had finally shown up, and he knew how to interact with me and the book. That helped the other kids loosen up a bit. They all seemed to enjoy the different spots, and I had them sort of act out the different spots, too. Then at the end, I had them all come up and feel the spots the bird finally went with it. Wasn't a huge success, but was the best of today's choices.
2/21/18 Used in G theme. They enjoyed. They might not have been as reactionary in enthusiasm, but lots of smiles and seeing the different dots. Went around to each to have them feel the dots and they liked.
2/25/18 Daddy read on Father's Night to kids. Then we read it for a bedtime story with both kids. SD loved it. SS seemed indifferent.
June 2, 2015
This fun book is about a guinea fowl who doesn't have any spots. When he orders them in the mail, they arrive as something quite unexpected. As he explores the unexpected assortment of spots, he comes to realize that not all spots are created equal just like no two individuals are exactly alike. What he discovers is that it is more important to be happy being yourself when making friends than to be someone you're not.
Bettina P. / Marathon County Public Library
Find this book in our library catalog.
January 5, 2016
A guinea fowl suffering from a severe lack of spots (all his friends have them in excess) writes a letter (to the universe?) that reads, “Please send spots.” The universe responds promptly (the next day) in all kinds of unexpected ways – with shiny spots, holes, enormous spots, colorful spots. None of them are quite The Thing (*guinea fowl* spots), but in the end it doesn’t matter. He and the others choose the spots that “put a smile on your beak.”
Rhyming and clever with colorful and inventive illustrations of the curious guinea fowl and all of the spots he receives. Who knew there were so many kinds of spots and not spots? Should produce giggles of delight in both readers and read-tos.
Rhyming and clever with colorful and inventive illustrations of the curious guinea fowl and all of the spots he receives. Who knew there were so many kinds of spots and not spots? Should produce giggles of delight in both readers and read-tos.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews