This was a story I was very intrigued with, simply because it deals with a Loch Ness monster type of creature and I love mysteries involving such creatures. Unfortunately though, the writing style was too simple and the story much shorter than I anticipated. It almost felt like this was a children’s abridged version of a longer, more elaborate story, and so I would’ve liked to have read more details in it, details about the characters, about the history of the setting and the folklore surrounding the creature.

"Spotting Dottie" by Gail Anderson-Dargatz is a poignant and beautifully written novel that captivates from the very first page. Set in a small Canadian town, the story follows the journey of Dottie, a young girl with a unique gift for spotting lost things. As Dottie navigates the complexities of family, friendship, and self-discovery, readers are drawn into a world filled with richly drawn characters and evocative descriptions of the Canadian landscape. Anderson-Dargatz's prose is lyrical and immersive, transporting readers into Dottie's world with ease. The novel explores themes of loss, resilience, and the power of human connection in a way that is both heartfelt and deeply moving. "Spotting Dottie" is a gem of a book that will linger in the hearts and minds of readers long after they've turned the final page.

My son is currently very into the Loch Ness Monster so this was the perfect book to add into our current Nessie explorations.

An enjoyable read that discusses family dynamics, friendship and how to be kind to both people and nature. I generally enjoyed this book, but found the ending to be a bit abrupt and the writing to perhaps be a little more simplistic than I thought was appropriate for what I perceived the target audience to be. Overall a quick read that I think will allow for some good discussions.

I received an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

2.5⭐️

Spotting Dottie follows our main character Charlotte, who, with the help of her grandmother, is endeavoring to prove the existence of Dottie, a Loch-Ness-Monster-Type-Cryptid inhabiting their local lake.
they have yet to convince others that Dottie is real when Charlotte manages to capture a video of the cryptid using her drone.

I found this Loch Ness monster story to be endearing and fast-paced!

it was more of a novella than a full-length book, which left the plot feeling incomplete. the characters also felt underdeveloped. Charlotte was supposed to be fourteen, but the inner dialogue and description didn’t suggest this.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher of the e-arc!

"Spotting Dottie" is a super quick read, perfect for early middle grade readers. Themes include protecting animals and kindness.

This fast paced middle grade novel tells a sweet tale about acceptance and the consequences of seeking and rejecting social validation.

What a cute and fun middle grade read. I liked the premise and the story/characters were well written. Engaging and relatable for a younger audience. I like the complexity of the characters and their storylines even though this was more simplistically written. A solid, easy read that encourages you to use your imagination and to believe that mythical creatures really do exist!

Spotting Dottie is a surprisingly sweet, heartwarming story about a little girl and her grandma, both of whom believe in a mysterious lake creature. Charlotte is a fantastic young heroine as she works to find proof of her beliefs.
This would be a great book for new independent readers with big imaginations.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

Charlotte lives in a town by a lake that holds a secret. Long ago, Grandma spotted the elusive lake monster named Dottie. Since then, Grandma has spent her life searching for Dottie and also being the town joke. On her birthday, Charlotte got a drone and decides to prove that Dottie exists and clear her Grandma’s name. But, is clearing her Grandma’s name going to hurt more than heal?

This was a quick and cute read. The story touches on some good talking points: animal safety, being made fun of, and choosing to believe in something even if others don’t.

My 8 year old will love this but it reads a bit young for my 11 year old. The story was fast-paced, but I wish there was more time spent to fully develop the characters.

Novel study ideas:
* Create their own mythical creature
* Research other mythical creatures around the world

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

Hello! I would like to share my thoughts on a book I recently read called "Spotting Dottie". It is a heartwarming adventure that follows Grandma Donna and her granddaughter Charlotte as they search for the mysterious Dottie, the legend of their local lake.

The story revolves around Charlotte's birthday gift, which ends up being a key to help her prove her grandma's theory about the lake monster. On their search for evidence, Charlotte discovers some hidden conflict between her mother and grandmother that she doesn't quite understand. Despite this, Charlotte remains determined to uncover the truth and support her grandma, even though she faces some teasing from her classmates.

I found the writing style simple yet engaging, and it can be easily finished by a 6th grader in just one night. However, I feel that the character of Charlotte should have been portrayed as a child between the ages of 9-11 years so that it would be more relatable to elementary school-aged children.

Overall, I enjoyed the story of family, friendship, and perseverance, and I think it's a great read for children. Even my 7-year-old daughter loved the story so much that she now wants to go on a hunt for any 'Dotties' in our town! I'm definitely going to recommend this book to our local library and school librarian. Thank you for listening!

This was a middle-grade story that dealt with family dynamics and responsibility. I found it so interesting that the fictional town in this, Dorothy Lake, was inspired by the author’s town growing up. I also loved the features in this, it was so easy to read and would be enjoyable for younger readers.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with access to read this book!

ARC Review:
Spotting Dottie by Gail Anderson-Dargatz was a quick and delightful middle grade read. The story follows Charlotte, her best friend Scott, her grandma, and mom as they navigate through becoming a viral sensation after recording a video of their local lake monster “Dottie.” Charlotte’s anxieties about peer perception and her dedication to doing the right thing are what any middle school student (or adult reading to students) can empathize with. For adult readers, this book can bring back nostalgic feelings of the infamous “Big Blue” episode of The X Files or the animated Scooby Doo film featuring Nessie. A solid 4/5 on my rating scale. Thank you so much, NetGalley for the ARC!

I liked the idea behind the story but it didn’t captivate my attention as much as I had thought it would.

The pace of the book was a little too fast for the story to evolve. The idea behind a monster swimming around in the lake was nice but I wish there had been a little more information provided by the characters that had discovered the monster to know more about it. The message about treating animals with care and respect was evident but I felt the story lacked more of an adventurous angle.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher providing me with an ARC of this book. Spotting Dottie is a great quick read for not only its intended audience of middle grade readers but everyone. It’s very fast paced and anyone who likes myths like the Loch Ness monster or Big Foot would love it.

Incredibly fun and fast paced book, perfect for the target group! I thoroughly enjoyed this and will be recommending this to my younger cousins

Spotting Dottie is an excellent quick-paced story for reluctant readers and anyone who enjoys stories about cryptids.

In Spotting Dottie, we’re introduced to Charlotte, who receives a new drone for her fourteenth birthday. With her new birthday gift, she is determined to help her grandmother track down a local cryptid named Dottie – a creature that is very reminiscent of the Loch Ness Monster. Charlotte’s grandmother, Donna, can be considered an expert on Dottie. She runs a website devoted to the creature and has insisted that she’s seen the shy creature before. Charlotte wants to help prove Dottie’s existence.

While most of the town, including Charlotte’s mother, believe the creature to be a myth. Donna, and, by extension, Charlotte, know better. Imagine Charlotte’s surprise when she manages to capture footage of Dottie and discovers the creature for the first time herself!

With footage in hand, Charlotte is fully prepared to prove Dottie’s existence to the world despite her mother telling her not to. Charlotte, excited by all of the possibilities of proving that Dottie is real, doesn’t listen and shares what she’s filmed anyway. The reactions and events afterward are not what Charlotte expects.

The messages and the very real relationships portrayed in Spotting Dottie make for both an educational and engaging story. It’s a fun read from start to finish and comes highly recommended.

Thank you NetGalley for providing a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A chapter book for older elementary kids that shows how Charlotte (main character) uses technology to prove that the loch-ness monster creature is real. This book is definitely for kids who are used to reading chapter books as it is longer and has no pictures throughout the book.

"Spotting Dottie" by Gail Anderson-Dargatz is an engaging middle grade novel about a tween named Charlotte, who shares an interest in the local legend of a lake-monster with her grandmother Donna. Her grandmother is known by the locals as Dottie Donna because of her unshakeable belief in "Dottie" the Lochness type monster of the town's lake. Charlotte wants to prove to all of the town's skeptics, but mainly to her own mom, that Grandma's obsession is centered around a real creature. So, when she gets a drone for her 14th birthday she is determined to get video evidence of the monster. After posting a credible sighting she starts to understand why her Mom is so embarrassed by her own mother's hobby. The internet fame (and the school notoriety) makes her relationship with her best friend Scott awkward. Yet when a trip to the lake reveals irrefutable proof of Dottie and an even more thrilling discovery Charlotte realizes there is more to stake than just credibility. I think middle grade readers will enjoy this novel. My chief criticism was that the ending felt very sudden. The storyline wrapped up for the most part, but did so, so quickly that it felt as if the writing itself was very abrupt.

Thank you to the publisher for giving me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very cute read. In my opinion the pace of the book was a bit too fast, however it was something to look past since the story itself was very entertaining. That and children on jet skis and drones as presents? Anyway. This book was very adorable and a fun adventure to follow. I just couldn't grasp the ages of the main characters so to say, other than the birthday. This book showed a valuable lesson towards family and how we should be treating animals and I can appreciate that.