New Tricks I Can Do!

Released in the Beginner Books paper-over-board format so well known to Dr. Seuss's countless fans, this slight tale stars Spot the dog, last spotted in Put Me in the Zoo. Addressing a pair of kids looking as if they'd stepped out of a '50s primer, the dejected canine explains why he has been dismissed as a has-been: ""Folks saw my spots up in the air. Folks saw my spots most everywhere. The circus says that's all I do. The circus wants somebody new. But I have more that I can do... all kinds of tricks-and all brand-new!"" But ""brand-new"" is hardly an appropriate description for the subsequent sing-song monologue, in which Spot reveals his talent for transforming himself into a variety of colors and patterns. While ably employing Seussian repetitions and cadences, the text-helped little by the stale art-lacks the vitality of Lopshire's best work. Ages 4-7. (Apr.)