Thursday, June 29, 2017

Love That Dog by Sharon Creech

Love That Dog written by Sharon Creech. (Published 2001). 86 pages. L1010. RL 4.5 Int Lvl. 3-6. This novel written in free-verse tells the heart-warming story of a boy who does not believe that he can write poetry, but becomes a believer as his teacher encourages him to tell the story of his beloved dog. 

Booklist (August 2001 (Vol. 97, No. 22))
Gr. 3-6. In simple free verse, Jack tells his teacher that he cares nothing about poetry and sees no point in that snowy woods stuff: "Why doesn't the person just / keep going if he's got / so many miles to go before he sleeps?". But despite himself, he's enraptured by what his teacher is reading: the beat of "Tiger, tiger burning bright" just won't go away. At the same time, he's writing poetry in his own voice about himself, culminating in a breathtaking poem about what happened to his beloved dog. At the end, Creech overdoes Jack's fawning adoration of author Walter Dean Myers, who comes to school at Jack's behest, but that won't stop kids from recognizing both Jack's new exuberance and his earlier uptight mood. Best of all, the story shows how poetry inspires reading and writing with everyday words that make personal music. This is a book for teachers to read aloud and talk about with kids. Some of the poems Jack's teacher reads are appended, including Myers'wonderful "Love That Boy."
There are not many more authentic teachable moments in my class as when my students are trying to write poetry and see themselves as poets. I treasure the times when they break out of their shells and write their thoughts and feelings creatively. Using Love That Dog as a mentor text helps my students see how even the most reluctant writer can write the most beautiful poems. Their courage and confidence grows every time my students hear how the main character, Jack,uses his own ordinary thoughts to create thoughtful, unique poetry.  
~Posted by Liz Stafford


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