We have followed David Kalvitis’ adventures in Dot-to-Dot-land for more than six years now. We gave our first Major Fun award to his Greatest Dot-to-Dot books in 2007, our second to his Super Challenge series in 2010, and this review makes our third. Each time we consider his books our admiration for his talent as an artist, his playfulness, and his puzzlecraft deepens.
In his Greatest Dot-to-Dot Adventure, Book 1, Kalvitis takes his impressive collection of ingenious and challenging variations on the theme of dot-to-dot to a new level.
As in his previous works (I’ve learned to think of them as works, as in works of art, because as you complete the connections you find yourself having created something surprisingly rich in detail – so rich that you find yourself wanting to continue beyond the dots, adding color, shade, tone, in appreciation of the over-all excellence of Kalvaltis’ art), Kalvaltis offers a fascinatingly varied collection of dot-to-dot challenges.
In the Greatest Dot-to-Dot Adventure Book, not only are there:
2 – 3 Page Connect the Dots
1 – 4 Page Connect the Dots
1 – ABC Set Dot-to-Dots
1 – Alpha Dots Connect the Dots
1 – Arrows Connect Puzzle
1 – Circuits Connect Puzzle
1 – Compass Connect the Dots
2 – Crazy Dot-to-Dots
1 – Field of Dot-to-Dots
1 – Match Up Connect Puzzle
1 – No Dots Connect Puzzles
1 – Numbers Connect Puzzles
1 – Odd/Even Dot-to-Dots
5 – Scene Dot-to-Dots
3 – Sets Connect the Dots
15 – Stars Connect the Dots
1 – Symbols Dot-to-Dots
but the puzzles are also linked to each other, forming an overall challenge that requires you to solve each and every puzzle before you achieve the ultimate satisfaction of completing your dot-to-dot adventure. Each, as I said, and every puzzle. An adventure, in deed.
Admirable work. Major fun.
