Love That Dog by Sharon Creech

Creech, Sharon. Love That Dog. HarperCollins Publishers, 2003. 112 pages. pap. $5.99. ISBN 978-0-06-440959-9.

Annotation: A boy learns to find his own voice while writing a poetry journal with the help of his caring teacher, Ms. Stretchberry.

Summary: A little boy named Jack hates writing poetry. With gentle encouragement from his teacher, Ms. Stretchberry, Jack slowly opens up and sees the enjoyment in reading, understanding, and then writing his own poems. With a little understanding and some subjects that spark his creativity like his pet dog, Jack starts to find his voice. Jack gets really excited about poetry when a wonderful and famous poet, Walter Dean Myers visits his classroom.

Evaluation: The extremely simple prose and easy free verse style make it an excellent combination for children who do not like to read. When Jack finally starts making personal connections with the poems his teacher has him study, he starts to understand the power of poetry. The theme of love and loss of a pet will resonate with young readers. Recommended for ages 6 to 12.

Genre / Subject: Juvenile Fiction, Poetry, Dogs, Teachers

Awards: 2002 Christopher Award- Ages 8-10, 2002 American Booksellers Award – Children’s Literature Honor Book, 2002 ALA Notable Children’s Book

Close to You: How Animals Bond by Kimiko Kajikawa

Kajikawa, Kimiko. Close to You: How Animals Bond. Henry Holt & Company, 2008. 32 pages. Tr. $16.95. ISBN 978-0-8050-8123-7.

Annotation: Just like people, animals have unique ways of bonding. The parent-child relationship between different animals is explored.

Summary: The bond between parent and child is strong, even in the animal kingdom. Just like people, animals form strong attachments to each other. Crisp, charming photographs include an adult giraffe licking its baby and an adult alligator gently holding its baby in its mouth. The book ends with the special relationship between people. Additional descriptive and behavioral information on each animal is included in the end matter.

Evaluation: With large, colorful photographs the animal world is investigated. The sweet bonding that occurs between baby and adult animals is tenderly portrayed. The simple rhyming text complements the close-up photos of the animals in their natural habitats. Recommended for ages 3 to 8.

Genre / Subject: Juvenile Non-Fiction, Animals, Bonding, Family

Awards: 2009 Christopher Award – Preschool Books for Young People