A Perfect Spot by Isabelle Simler and Vineet Lal (translator) is a poetic and informative look at how a ladybug lays their eggs in a seemingly quiet world, yet it is one that is a lot busier than one might think. The extras at the end allow the story to grow with the child.
That is pretty much it. The facts are easy to understand and learn. There is not a lot to it in the way of an action story. The action is simple: ladybug flies to Spot X, there are issues with that spot (already occupied, creatures that will eat the ladybug and/or the eggs). The illustrations are detailed to almost extreme at times, but that is fine because it is showing you that the world is full, things are not what they seem and what is “just a meadow” to the human eye, is alive with magnificent life and activity.
While you can tell the images are illustrated they feel almost real. They could be framed, if that is your thing. The colors are very strong and are used to make things pop when and where needed, but shadows and softer colors are also creating a piece of the puzzle. They also will allow a reader to become aware of insects (and other things) they might not be familiar with due to the limitations of wooded areas or meadows. Or to introduce animals that are not from your area.
This picture book was borrowed from my local library. I picked it only because I had seen another title by the author (Home) on lists for a while and wanted to read it. They didn’t but did have A Perfect Spot which has made me think that now I think I have a new creator to look into as I think we will be cozy reading friends.
