Katie Gets Her Spots, is a short story about a Dalmatian named Katie who does not have her spots. She is curious about everyone else’s spots, and dreams about what hers will be like. Her dad assures her that the spots that take the longest are the best. When her spots finally come in, everyone will be surprised, especially Katie.
Katie Gets Her Spots, is a short story about a Dalmatian named Katie who does not have her spots. She is curious about everyone else’s spots, and dreams about what hers will be like. Her dad assures her that the spots that take the longest are the best. When her spots finally come in, everyone will be surprised, especially Katie.
“Chief” was a young Dalmatian watching his dad Sergeant as he ran by the coach, directing the horses on their path. Chief’s father had told him that Dalmatians were special, they were hard working dogs, smart and courageous. They were a great friend to their person and their family. They were also a rare breed, with special beauty; even the youngest children can spot a Dalmatian.
Sergeant taught him the importance of a bark. “A soft bark for your people,” he’d say, “and a loud, sharp bark is for anyone you do not know. You can tell a good dog by his bark.”
Chief watched his father closely, who was very serious and had no time for play. Each day when he got home, Sergeant would train Chief to be a good coach dog, practicing his skills at the ranch with the horses until Chief was so exhausted that he fell into a deep sleep. Chief learned important skills like speed and endurance, he learned to tolerate all kinds of weather, and he had a good instinct for trouble. Chief was getting his spots now, and it was time for him to choose what he wanted to do. Chief left home and set off to see the world, before he got very far, he met Sassy and the whole world changed.
Sassy was a pretty Dalmatian. She had a sweet face, and kind eyes. Although she was young, and just getting her spots, she was already showing her personality as a sensible and dependable Dalmatian. Sassy was curious and bold. She came from a long line of police dogs; protectors. Her dad Blue was a police dog, and his dad before him, and his dad before him. But Sassy was also a lot like her mom, affectionate, thoughtful, and reliable. Chief and Sassy were instant friends. Chief was quiet and Sassy was talkative. Chief tried to explain that a bark was important and should be used sparingly but Sassy had a lot to say. She barked happily and non-stop. Chief let her say it all and speak for both of them. No one was surprised that they soon started a family together. Everyone had guesses about what the puppies would grow up to be. With traits like courage, strength, and a good instinct they would be very special pups!
The structure of the story is very cleverly built, it is episodic in nature such that the narrative breaks off at odd intervals to allow the parent dogs, Chief and Sassy to introduce a new skill to their young puppy Katie. But keeping our readership in mind, Katie is the protagonist who everyone relates to, and when she learns new words in the story, naturally it is the book's way of encouraging the children reading it to also pick up the new words and learn them like Katie did. This structural ingenuity may be a common trope but it always works for children's stories where repetition and patterns are an accepted norm.
It is important to note that while the whole story is written with an objective of motivating children to learn new vocabulary, the characters are not humans but dogs. This shows how growing up, learning new things, humans might not be so different from other animals, like dogs. Learning new words is like learning new modes of expression, and whether one is human or animal, it is essential to be able to express your emotions. That is what makes the story kind of a quest for self identity. The words are nothing but markers to figure out who we are and which words describe us the best.
Throughout the whole story, Katie is impatient and excited to get her new spots, that signifies her coming of age, her puberty. Finally when the spots appear, she becomes a complete Dalmatian, before which one wouldn't have been able to recognise her at all. Realising one's own potentials comes after a huge journey and quest, but what you ultimately decide to live as is the choice that matters. Katie has so many kinds of potentials but in the end, she chooses to be the helpful kind of dog and it's as noble a type as any others.
Using simple language and gently spinning the tale with the help of beautiful characters like Chief and Sassy, the story has the power to keep you engrossed in it. Undoubtedly it's a treasure for children who wish to learn some new words in a fun way. Recommended for both children and parents who love reading aloud stories to their children.