Love that Dog by Sharon Creech
Title: Love that Dog
Author/Illustrator: Sharon Creech
Genre: Fiction
Awards: IRA/CBC Children's Choice; Carnegie Medal Finalist; Amazon.com Editors' Pick; School Library Journal Best Book; Notable Children's Book in the Language Arts (NCTE); ALA Notable Children's Book, and many more
Age: 9-12
This book is about a boy named Jack who wasn't sure how to write poetry and thought it was something just for girls to do. Miss Stretchberry kept assigning poetry assignments and he couldn't get out of them, and since he originally thought poetry was for girls only he already went into it feeling discouraged. With every assignment his teacher gave them, he didn't want his name put on it, because he felt like others would think it wasn't real poetry or that some of his poems would make them feel a certain way. After his teacher read some work from Walter Dean Myers, Jack was instantly inspired by him. At the beginning of the story Jack felt like he didn't have anything to say and that when it came to writing poetry his brain was always empty, but as he kept writing he realizes he has a lot to say about things that have inspired him to write about. Miss Stretchberry would follow his request so if he wanted it on yellow paper she would put it on there, or in one instance the spacing wasn't how he wanted, he mentioned it to her and wished she had left it how it was since he thought it looked slightly off. As the story progress Jack wanted to have Mr. Walter Dean Myers come and visit his school and read some of his poems to them and have him read some of their work. When he wrote the letter and sent it off he didn't know it could take a while for him to get the letter but he always had hope. Mr.Walter Dean Myers did go to their school and read them some of his works and some of their own and he enjoyed himself, and Jack felt even more inspired. He first wrote a poem about a blue car splattered with mud and how it was speeding down the road. He wrote about his dog Sky and what happened to Sky, and she was hit by a car and thinking that writing that poem would make others sad, but it actually helped him cope with what happened, he lost his best friend. After reading the story we see that that blue car was the same to hit his dog Sky and basically killed Sky. His poems tied together and were intertwined I didn't think much of the blue car at first, but I see how it was helping him deal and remember everything that happened. His poem about his dog really helped him understand that he actually enjoyed writing poetry and he knew now that he could write poetry, and it also allowed him to express what he was feeling inside, all because his teacher believed in him and wouldn't let him give up.
I think this book would be great for students in 5th-7th grade. I think some students would be able to relate to Jack, and feel that they may not be able to write poetry. I think by having a teacher like Miss Stretchberry to reinforce those values and not let him think he couldn't do it. She put up his works anonymously so that no one would know it was him and because Jack asked her too, since he felt like his works weren't poetry. He was able to find himself and find his voice through his writings. I would use this book if I did a lesson or unit on poetry. I think if my students had inspiration, they would feel more confident, and if they wanted anonymously I would be happy with that, but everyone's work would be displayed.
Author/Illustrator: Sharon CreechGenre: Fiction
Awards: IRA/CBC Children's Choice; Carnegie Medal Finalist; Amazon.com Editors' Pick; School Library Journal Best Book; Notable Children's Book in the Language Arts (NCTE); ALA Notable Children's Book, and many more
Age: 9-12
This book is about a boy named Jack who wasn't sure how to write poetry and thought it was something just for girls to do. Miss Stretchberry kept assigning poetry assignments and he couldn't get out of them, and since he originally thought poetry was for girls only he already went into it feeling discouraged. With every assignment his teacher gave them, he didn't want his name put on it, because he felt like others would think it wasn't real poetry or that some of his poems would make them feel a certain way. After his teacher read some work from Walter Dean Myers, Jack was instantly inspired by him. At the beginning of the story Jack felt like he didn't have anything to say and that when it came to writing poetry his brain was always empty, but as he kept writing he realizes he has a lot to say about things that have inspired him to write about. Miss Stretchberry would follow his request so if he wanted it on yellow paper she would put it on there, or in one instance the spacing wasn't how he wanted, he mentioned it to her and wished she had left it how it was since he thought it looked slightly off. As the story progress Jack wanted to have Mr. Walter Dean Myers come and visit his school and read some of his poems to them and have him read some of their work. When he wrote the letter and sent it off he didn't know it could take a while for him to get the letter but he always had hope. Mr.Walter Dean Myers did go to their school and read them some of his works and some of their own and he enjoyed himself, and Jack felt even more inspired. He first wrote a poem about a blue car splattered with mud and how it was speeding down the road. He wrote about his dog Sky and what happened to Sky, and she was hit by a car and thinking that writing that poem would make others sad, but it actually helped him cope with what happened, he lost his best friend. After reading the story we see that that blue car was the same to hit his dog Sky and basically killed Sky. His poems tied together and were intertwined I didn't think much of the blue car at first, but I see how it was helping him deal and remember everything that happened. His poem about his dog really helped him understand that he actually enjoyed writing poetry and he knew now that he could write poetry, and it also allowed him to express what he was feeling inside, all because his teacher believed in him and wouldn't let him give up.
I think this book would be great for students in 5th-7th grade. I think some students would be able to relate to Jack, and feel that they may not be able to write poetry. I think by having a teacher like Miss Stretchberry to reinforce those values and not let him think he couldn't do it. She put up his works anonymously so that no one would know it was him and because Jack asked her too, since he felt like his works weren't poetry. He was able to find himself and find his voice through his writings. I would use this book if I did a lesson or unit on poetry. I think if my students had inspiration, they would feel more confident, and if they wanted anonymously I would be happy with that, but everyone's work would be displayed.
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