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Spot the Plot: A Riddle Book of Book Riddles
Thirteen witty and wacky poems pose riddles that challenge readers to "Name That Book." With a glass slipper here and a spiderweb there, Lynn Munsinger's adorable illustrations lead young readers to the solutions. From Goodnight Moon to Madeline , children and parents alike will delight in recognizing their most cherished stories.
36 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2009
10 people are currently reading
201 people want to read
About the author
J. Patrick Lewis
134 books104 followersJ. Patrick Lewis is the current Children's Poet Laureate. He has written more than seventy children's books, including Once Upon a Tomb: Gravely Humorous Verses. J. Patrick Lewis lives in Ohio.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
March 8, 2013
This is such a clever, fun book! It is magical when one of my students literally runs in the classroom from library with a book they are so excited about. Spot the Plot was one of these! My 2nd grader quickly drew a crowd and within moments the whole class was gathered around feeding off of the riddle he was reading, trying to guess the book. Perfect spontaneous fun prompted by a fabulous book! Doesn't get better than that!
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January 14, 2019This riddle-tastic romp is a fun way to entice little ones to figure out which plot, from what book is being described. Once they find the story in question, they'll want to read or reread it again and again. - Jen K.
December 29, 2025
This book of thirteen riddles is more than just a book of riddles. It contains clues to some of the well-known known literature, poetry, and much more to challenge the well-read reader, both young and old.
February 19, 2020
Short rhyming poems give clues, inviting readers to guess which book the poem is about.
Many of the stories cited are older classics and very young children might not be familiar with all or even most of them. Also, though most of the stories children are guessing about picture books, some are chapter books (like Charlotte's Web.). This book is probably best for elementary students who are familiar with a number of the books cited. The last page includes the names of all the books. It will likely be more fun for the kids if the kids are familiar with all of these stories (either in book or movie form) before reading Spot the Plot with them.
Here is a list of the books cited:
1. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
2. Madeline
3. The tale of Peter Rabbit
4. Cinderella
5. Where's Waldo
6. The Story of Ferdinand
7. Goodnight Moon
8. The Adventures of Pinocchio
9. The Polar Express
10. Rapunzel
11. Charlotte's Web
12. Tacky the Penguin
13. Click, Clack Moo: Cows that Type
Many of the stories cited are older classics and very young children might not be familiar with all or even most of them. Also, though most of the stories children are guessing about picture books, some are chapter books (like Charlotte's Web.). This book is probably best for elementary students who are familiar with a number of the books cited. The last page includes the names of all the books. It will likely be more fun for the kids if the kids are familiar with all of these stories (either in book or movie form) before reading Spot the Plot with them.
Here is a list of the books cited:
1. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
2. Madeline
3. The tale of Peter Rabbit
4. Cinderella
5. Where's Waldo
6. The Story of Ferdinand
7. Goodnight Moon
8. The Adventures of Pinocchio
9. The Polar Express
10. Rapunzel
11. Charlotte's Web
12. Tacky the Penguin
13. Click, Clack Moo: Cows that Type
March 22, 2020
I have young grandchildren, so I read these books that is my excuse and I am sticking to it (LOL).
This book is clever and a super fun quick read.. I read the ebook version. The illustration is very pretty and worth getting and giving to young children and even adults. I will definitely get a copy for my grandchildren when they are old enough. Furthermore, prof. Lewis is from Ohio, my home state!!!
Hat off to professor J. Patrick Lewis, who taught economics, who became children book's author. The art works of Lynn Munsinger are delightful. Thank you both for allowing this book to be online. It sure helping me during this pandemic time.
This book is clever and a super fun quick read.. I read the ebook version. The illustration is very pretty and worth getting and giving to young children and even adults. I will definitely get a copy for my grandchildren when they are old enough. Furthermore, prof. Lewis is from Ohio, my home state!!!
Hat off to professor J. Patrick Lewis, who taught economics, who became children book's author. The art works of Lynn Munsinger are delightful. Thank you both for allowing this book to be online. It sure helping me during this pandemic time.
November 15, 2017
Cute. My third grader enjoyed it. He spent a while looking for Waldo on the Where's Waldo page. He got very excited about the books that he knew. This book gives the reader hints in rhyme and in pictures for well known books. The last page shows the titles of the books that the reader has guessed about throughout the book.
March 7, 2019
Each page is a rhyming riddle of a famous children's book. Five stars for a darling idea, but only three stars in the execution, as the poems were a bit clunky. It would be fun to use in a classroom as a jumping off point for students to write their own book plot riddle poems.
July 3, 2019
Love the illustrations. Some of the riddles were harder than I thought. I could see this being used well in classrooms/classroom visits.
July 16, 2019
Easy plot riddles for popular children's classics. Amusing read for all ages.
September 9, 2021
A riddle book of book riddles. Lots of fun solving which children's book each riddle is about.
April 7, 2022
I was pleasantly surprised to find this book full of poems. And the ending reveals off the book references and it was very satisfying to guess some right and see some new potential stories to read!
June 24, 2023
I enjoyed the art, and guessing the stories. I didn't know Tacky the Penguin, so now I have something new on my to-read list.
June 21, 2013
Spot the Plots takes the reader, along with two young detectives and their dog to figure out the stories that are being discussed on each page. The riddles, which are set up as poems, are interesting because they are of many various forms and lengths. Sometimes their forms are even part of the clues. The illustrations, By Lynn Munsinger, also has tons of clues to the answers to the riddles/poems. The illustrations are done in bright watercolors.
The illustrations give such great clues that if reading this book to others, I would recommend not showing the illustrations at first. I would read the text and let them guess, and then if they still struggled, I would show them the illustrations as another clue. I also found that when doing this, my children loved to find all the clues in the pictures that could have lead them to answers.
Part of my favorite part about this book is that while J. Patrick Lewis chooses very common books, he does go away from the "normal" books that everyone would pick. He also picks books that are common for a few different age groups. Some of the books are preschool, while others a younger elementary.
I would recommend this book to younger elementary because I feel that they will have read majority (if not all) of the books by that time. If students had not read one of the books, these riddles could also spark an interest into reading a new title. Another idea is for students to come up with their own riddles/poems for books that are read throughout the year. A class anthology could be made to give as a gift to the students at the end of the year!
The illustrations give such great clues that if reading this book to others, I would recommend not showing the illustrations at first. I would read the text and let them guess, and then if they still struggled, I would show them the illustrations as another clue. I also found that when doing this, my children loved to find all the clues in the pictures that could have lead them to answers.
Part of my favorite part about this book is that while J. Patrick Lewis chooses very common books, he does go away from the "normal" books that everyone would pick. He also picks books that are common for a few different age groups. Some of the books are preschool, while others a younger elementary.
I would recommend this book to younger elementary because I feel that they will have read majority (if not all) of the books by that time. If students had not read one of the books, these riddles could also spark an interest into reading a new title. Another idea is for students to come up with their own riddles/poems for books that are read throughout the year. A class anthology could be made to give as a gift to the students at the end of the year!
October 29, 2012
The thirteen riddle poems in this book give readers clues to the titles of classic children’s books. From Tacky the Penguin to The Polar Express, Goodnight Moon to Madeline follow two book young book detectives and their canine companion as they sort through the textual and visual evidence. Humorously illustrated by Munsinger, these poems will have readers shouting out the names of their favorite books and characters.
Each two page spread is devoted to a different poem/book and features the young detectives (a boy and a girl), their dog, and a giant book. Characters and elements of each story peek and tumble out of each book and the landscape changes to reflect the story. For instance, the boy and girl examine a blue waistcoat while in the garden of Farmer McGregor and they pull yards and yards of hair from a book that resembles a tower. Some of the poems are just a handful of words while others are a few stanzas. Although most of the poems rhyme, they take different forms such as the riddle about Click, Clack, Moo:Cows That Type, which is in the form of a letter to the farmer from the cows. The answers, including author and illustrator, are included on the last page of the book.
Full Review at Picture-Book-a-Day: http://picturebookaday.blogspot.com/2...
Each two page spread is devoted to a different poem/book and features the young detectives (a boy and a girl), their dog, and a giant book. Characters and elements of each story peek and tumble out of each book and the landscape changes to reflect the story. For instance, the boy and girl examine a blue waistcoat while in the garden of Farmer McGregor and they pull yards and yards of hair from a book that resembles a tower. Some of the poems are just a handful of words while others are a few stanzas. Although most of the poems rhyme, they take different forms such as the riddle about Click, Clack, Moo:Cows That Type, which is in the form of a letter to the farmer from the cows. The answers, including author and illustrator, are included on the last page of the book.
Full Review at Picture-Book-a-Day: http://picturebookaday.blogspot.com/2...
December 22, 2009
In this book, each two-page spread is a riddle. The reader has to read the poem and look at the picture and try to figure out what children's book is the answer to the riddle. This is a fun book for people who have read all the books that are referenced in the riddles. (There was one book that I had not read or even heard of.) And it would be a good book to use with a group of children who had read the books - maybe even just picking a few of the riddles would be a good idea, since it is hard to know what books children in the group would have read (unless you have read the books to them yourself).
The idea of this book is a lot of fun. The illustrations and the poems are both entertaining, and I really enjoyed figuring out the answers to the riddles. I think I would have liked it even more if the books that were selected had all been ones that most children would know. Riddles are only fun when the answer is guessable.
The idea of this book is a lot of fun. The illustrations and the poems are both entertaining, and I really enjoyed figuring out the answers to the riddles. I think I would have liked it even more if the books that were selected had all been ones that most children would know. Riddles are only fun when the answer is guessable.
February 22, 2012
I love this book. Not only does this book have clever riddles, but also cute illustrations. I enjoy sharing these with my students and having them try to guess what book is being described. For the older students I wait to show the pictures until they've had a few guesses because the illustrations really give some great clues. Several of the books highlighted have been made into movies so the younger students have a good chance at guessing most of the titles. Some of the books included are: The Wizard of Oz, Madeline, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, Cinderella, Rapunzel, Where's Waldo, Goodnight Moon, and Pinnochio. Interestingly, the one that students consistently don't know is The Story of Ferdinand. I remember loving that story when I was younger, but I guess fewer kids are exposed to it these days. Anyway, this book provides lots of book-related fun. My only complaint? I wish there were more riddles included. :)
May 19, 2011
This is a great book for a class visit. There are several short poems, each describing a well-known children's book (Charlotte's Web, Madeline, Where's Waldo?, etc.) that you have to solve. However, they are pretty easy, particularly if you can see the picture ("Cinderella" has a big picture of a cracked pumpkin-carriage, etc.), so I recommend it more for younger children. I read this for a class of accelerated third graders, and they guessed the story after I had read only one stanza of a poem. However, they had tons of fun with this book.
Grades 1-3
Grades 1-3
February 24, 2013
Audience: This book would be good for students of both genders. This book would also be good for students who are reluctant to reading.
Appeal: This books appeal is the sense of humor and the riddles all throughout. Many students will find interest in the riddles and rhymes that they are able to guess and fill out while reading. The pictures in the book are also very appealing. Lastly, the book focuses on new and classic stories that students all know (cinderella, tacky the penguin, and click, clack, moo: cows that type).
Application: I would use this book if students are learning about riddles and rhymes. This offers a new look to riddles that students can often have a hard time grasping. This book would be fun in a lesson to have the students thinking on their toes and guessing along.
Award: This book was a Golden Sower Nominee in 2011-2012
Appeal: This books appeal is the sense of humor and the riddles all throughout. Many students will find interest in the riddles and rhymes that they are able to guess and fill out while reading. The pictures in the book are also very appealing. Lastly, the book focuses on new and classic stories that students all know (cinderella, tacky the penguin, and click, clack, moo: cows that type).
Application: I would use this book if students are learning about riddles and rhymes. This offers a new look to riddles that students can often have a hard time grasping. This book would be fun in a lesson to have the students thinking on their toes and guessing along.
Award: This book was a Golden Sower Nominee in 2011-2012
July 9, 2013
Audience: Primary
Genre: Fiction - Includes refrences to Traditional Literature
Prereading Strategy: Think - Pair - Share
This book is full of riddles referencing many famous stories. To introduce students to solving riddles I will have the students think of their favorite food. They then need to come up with 5 words to describe that food. Then they will pair up and have their partner guess what their favorite food is from those 5 words. We will then discuss the students word choices and if they did or did not help their partner guess their food and come up with alternatives that may work better.
I would use this book as a mentor text for a writing lesson. This strategy will be helpful for students understand how important it is include enough details and to show how vital word choice is when you are writing riddles.
Genre: Fiction - Includes refrences to Traditional Literature
Prereading Strategy: Think - Pair - Share
This book is full of riddles referencing many famous stories. To introduce students to solving riddles I will have the students think of their favorite food. They then need to come up with 5 words to describe that food. Then they will pair up and have their partner guess what their favorite food is from those 5 words. We will then discuss the students word choices and if they did or did not help their partner guess their food and come up with alternatives that may work better.
I would use this book as a mentor text for a writing lesson. This strategy will be helpful for students understand how important it is include enough details and to show how vital word choice is when you are writing riddles.
June 4, 2010
In riddles (or poems), J. Patrick Lewis offers a review or synopsis of 13 children's books. Some are old classics. Some are beloved favorites. Can you guess the book in each riddle?
What I thought: What a book of books! I look that Lewis mixes classics with newer books. I wonder how he chose the 13 titles he did. Munsinger's illustrations are great. I love the 2 detectives and their canine cohort. I hope we'll see a sequel to Spot the Plot.
Story Time Ideas: The possibilities are endless. A fairy tale theme is possible as Lewis mentions two. Children's classics is another theme (using Peter Rabbit, Madeline, and Ferdinand). New favorites is yet another them (Tacky and Click, Clack, Moo). With older children, they can write riddles for their favorite books.
What I thought: What a book of books! I look that Lewis mixes classics with newer books. I wonder how he chose the 13 titles he did. Munsinger's illustrations are great. I love the 2 detectives and their canine cohort. I hope we'll see a sequel to Spot the Plot.
Story Time Ideas: The possibilities are endless. A fairy tale theme is possible as Lewis mentions two. Children's classics is another theme (using Peter Rabbit, Madeline, and Ferdinand). New favorites is yet another them (Tacky and Click, Clack, Moo). With older children, they can write riddles for their favorite books.
April 4, 2017
Not unlike "Once Upon a Time...The End" or the more recent "Fairly Fairy Tales" by Esme Raji Codell this is a fractured anthology of fairy tales in game form. Basically, the individual tales are stripped to their barest bones and the reader is asked to "name that book". The end contains an answer key and the reader can smack their foreheads about anything they missed. What I liked about this one than most books in this style is that he chose to use some more modern classics. One can only have fun identifying the same Mother Goose Tales and Brothers Grimm stories so many times before the love is gone. This used some of the "modern classics" and it revived a basically dead genre for the moment. Nicely done, though with J. Patrick Lewis that's usually the case.
December 19, 2016
This is a collection of riddle poems. Each page provides clues that hint at a particular beloved children's book, and the reader must guess at the title. A child would have to be fairly well-read to appreciate this book, but it's a wonderful opportunity to introduce a preschooler to such favorites as Madeline and Tacky the Penguin. It also provides the greatest summary of Rapunzel I've ever heard: Her hair's the stairs.
Read during a 5th grade class visit on 9/30/11: http://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/...
Read at 3rd and 4th grade class visits on 5/17/13:
http://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/...
Read during a 5th grade class visit on 9/30/11: http://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/...
Read at 3rd and 4th grade class visits on 5/17/13:
http://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/...
September 7, 2011
A cute collection of rhyming riddles about books. Each two page spread includes a short rhyme and an illustration. Most of the selections are well-known books (or movies) for children. The book will be attractive to younger readers and most of the titles are ones that students in grades 1 - 2 are familiar with. As much as I love Charlotte's Web, I didn't think that it was a great choice for this book; most students who are at that reading level will have outgrown this charming but young selection.
A picky note: The illustration for The Wizard of Oz includes Dorothy wearing red slippers. She wore silver slippers in the book and ruby slippers in the movie.
A picky note: The illustration for The Wizard of Oz includes Dorothy wearing red slippers. She wore silver slippers in the book and ruby slippers in the movie.
May 2, 2015
The book Spot the Plot by J. Patrick Lewis intended for ages 2 to 5 years of age. It received the Red Dot Book Award.
This book is a poem book that is in riddles where you have to figure out which story they are talking about.
I gave this book 4 stars. There are many colors in this book. Also, a lot of illustrations included. It was fun to try and figure out which story they were writing about. Some of them were harder then others.
I find this book appealing to children of this age because they love to guess at things and with the hints that it gives it would bring joy to them. Especially when they have the correct answer.
This book is a poem book that is in riddles where you have to figure out which story they are talking about.
I gave this book 4 stars. There are many colors in this book. Also, a lot of illustrations included. It was fun to try and figure out which story they were writing about. Some of them were harder then others.
I find this book appealing to children of this age because they love to guess at things and with the hints that it gives it would bring joy to them. Especially when they have the correct answer.
September 14, 2011
A fabulous book for those who love Children's Lit! I spotted the plot for every single one!!! (I'm so proud of me.) I loved the dog in most of the pictures--and he was the best for the hints since he was often the main characters from the books. I can't help but rate this so highly, because my book-loving self is so happy after reading it. And what a tribute to these books!
As for the poetry part, yeah, I liked it. I won't analyze it or anything because I never really know what I'm talking about in that realm. But they flowed and made sense and I figured out the stories.
As for the poetry part, yeah, I liked it. I won't analyze it or anything because I never really know what I'm talking about in that realm. But they flowed and made sense and I figured out the stories.
May 4, 2013
My ‘book’ friend loaned this wonderful book to me. I didn’t know it, and I’m glad I now do. It’s a clever book of poetic book reviews that through the poems and illustrations, kids can guess just “what” book is being described. There are a couple I didn’t recognize, but some are old favorites, like the one that says to “Imagine a bull/who loved only flowers” or the very brief “Her hair’s the stairs.” Can you guess them? The illustrations are beautiful, bright watercolors with lots of details.
September 20, 2009
Clever poems give explicit hints to classic children's stories in Lewis' latest. Read this to kindergarten and primary students for the fun of it, enjoying the rhyme and riddle. But for upper elementary students go a step further and use this as a model for writing, challenging students to write their own "spot the plot" riddles or riddle poems for other favorite books.
April 28, 2011
Absolutely a good book. Each page features a riddle about a classic book that children must have read before in order to guess the title of the book that riddle is about. Illustrated as a detective set of children solving mysteries. The back page gives the answers so that children know which great books they haven't read. Girls & boys of any age.
-mystery
-classic books
-friends
-plot
-mystery
-classic books
-friends
-plot
May 18, 2011
This book was great fun! I loved figuring out what book was described by the short poem on each double-page spread. There were only two I didn't know. It would be fun to work these out with kids--and maybe even to help them write their own clues for a favorite book. Some of my favorite clues were the shortest--amazing how Lewis can use so few words to describe a book accurately.
June 5, 2012
This is a fun book to use with early elementary aged kids. Each riddle is a poem that describes the plot of a popular children's book. I can imagine bringing it out to the schools during booktalk season - kids love guessing games and puzzles! I'll probably also use it in our after school programs for elementary school age patrons.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews