Illustrated by Hyewon Yum

Available 4/2/24 from Neal Porter Books / Holiday House

Dot is back! And this time, she’s determined to be perfect at something.

Dot is good at a lot of things, but good isn’t perfect. Perfect is her sister’s blue-ribbon painting, or her brothers’ first-place tie in the spelling bee, or her mom’s black belt in tae kwon do. Dot tries and tries, but all she has to show for it is funny-looking cupcakes, off-key piano squeaks, and almost-goals in soccer. Nothing she does is perfect.

When Dot and her classmates get an assignment to make a poster about a person they admire, Dot has someone in mind right away: her best friend, Sam. But draft after draft comes out looking all wrong! How will she ever make the perfect poster for her perfect friend?

Fans of Dot and Sam and new readers alike will melt as Dot keeps on trying in this relatable companion to Not Little, featuring Maya Myers’s effortless narrative voice and Hyewon Yum’s irresistible illustrations.

Reviews

“First-person narration effectively conveys a child’s insecurities, and it deftly explores the mutual admiration in young friendships to reinforce both stick-toitiveness and embracing imperfections. Yum’s colored pencil linework, saturated waxy textures, and expressive rounded style on negative space all carry the same airy, playful energy as the book’s indomitable protagonist.” —Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books full review here

“This second book about Dot gives the realistic-seeming child plenty of support from nonjudgmental adults, providing time and space to solve her own problems—and without the pressure of perfection.” —The Horn Book

“Kids struggling with perfectionism will learn a valuable lesson.” —Kirkus Reviews