CAN I BE YOUR DOG? by Troy Cummings - A dog story told through letters

What a fun dog story! Perfect for learning about letter writing or community helpers!

Summary from the publisher:

This picture book shares the tale of Arfy, a homeless mutt who lives in a box in an alley. Arfy writes to every person on Butternut Street about what a great pet he'd make. His letters to prospective owners share that he's house broken! He has his own squeaky bone! He can learn to live with cats! But, no one wants him. Won't anyone open their heart--and home--to a lonesome dog? Readers will be happily surprised to learn just who steps up to adopt Arfy.  

Can I Be Your Dog? was written and illustrated by Troy Cummings. It was published by Random House in 2018.

Opening:    

 

Dear People at Yellow House,

WOOF!!

CAN I BE YOUR DOG?

I am potty trained, and I have my own squeaky bone.

My Thoughts as a Writer:

If you’re interested in writing a story through letters, this is a great mentor text. There’s lots of humor in this story. I especially liked the different styles of responses to the dog.  The letters show the different personalities and hints of backstory in a just a few words. It made me want to try the challenge of writing a story told through letters or notes!

My Thoughts as an Educator:

This is a fun book to show students examples of letter writing and persuasive writing. It also shows different community helpers or places in the community. It may even lead into discussions about homelessness. The big, colourful illustrations make this book great for reading aloud.

Ages: 4 - 7

Grades: K – 2

Themes: dogs, letter-writing, community

Activities:

Pretend you are an animal. Write your own letter to ask for a home.

Draw a map showing different places the dog wanted to live. Tell the story using your map.

What do you think happens after the dog gets to his new home? Draw a picture to show your idea. 

Learning from Picture Books – HANNAH AND SUGAR BY KATE BERUBE

I can't pass up a good dog story! I really liked this quieter story and I think it's one many kids will want to experience again and again, because of the way the character Hannah copes with her fear. 

Summary from Amazon:

Every day after school, Hannah’s school bus is greeted by her classmate’s dog, Sugar. All of the other kids love Sugar, but Hannah just can’t conquer her fear of dogs. Then, one day, Sugar goes missing, so Hannah joins the search with her classmates. Will Hannah find a way to be brave, and make a new friend in the process?

Hannah and Sugar was written by and illustrated by Kate Berube. It was published in 2016 by Abrams Books for Young Readers.

Opening:

“Every day after school, Hannah’s papa picked her up at the bus stop.”

My thoughts as a writer:

The design of the book and the illustrations help to add emotion. It was interesting to me to study the page turns for this story. Key moments are emphasized when they are shown by illustration only. I especially loved how the design of the book draws out the moment when Hannah comes face to face with Sugar. 

My thoughts as a teacher:

This is more than a book about a child overcoming her fear of dogs, though that topic will definitely hook students on the story. Through this book, you can discuss fears in general and strategies for coping with them, an important aspect of mental health. I really liked the page where Hannah thinks about what it would be like to be Sugar – it’s a great starting point for talking about empathy.

Ages: 3 - 6

Grades: PreK - 1

Themes: fears, empathy, taking risks, coping with fear

Activities:

Think of something you are afraid of. What small step could you take to feel less afraid? Draw a picture of yourself taking that small step.

What is your favorite page in the story? Explain why.

Draw a poster that they could put up to help find Sugar. Think about how to make it easy to see from a distance. What information would need to be on the poster?

Check out Emily Arrow’s song about this book!

Learning from Picture Books – FRANK AND LUCKY GET SCHOOLED

This is a fun book for dog lovers! Older primary students will definitely appreciate the humor. 

Summary from the Publisher:

On a rainy day, Frank’s parents take him to the shelter to get a new dog. That’s how Frank finds Lucky, and from that moment on, they’re inseparable. 

As Frank and Lucky venture out into the world around them, they discover they both have a lot to learn. Exploring their neighborhood teaches them about biology: Lucky learns all about squirrels, deer, and—unfortunately for Frank—skunks. Sharing a bed teaches them about fractions—what happens when one dog takes up three-quarters of the bed, or even the whole thing? They even learn different languages: Frank makes a friend who speaks Spanish and Lucky tries to learn Duck! Who knew you could learn so much without ever setting foot inside a classroom?

Frank and Lucky Get Schooled was written and illustrated by Lynne Rae Perkins, and published in 2016 by Greenwillow Books, an imprint of HarperCollins.

Opening:

“One day when Frank could not win for losing, he got Lucky.”

My Thoughts as a Writer:

This was a different take on the typical dog story, showing what dogs and people learn from each other with lots of humorous lines and speech bubbles to show show the imagined perspective of the dog. It was fun the way the book considered different school subjects such as math, science, history, arts, etc. so I really liked the concept of this book.

I enjoyed all the detail in the illustrations, and how everyday things are used to show concepts like fractions, etc.

My Thoughts as a Teacher:

As a teacher, I really liked the way this book shows how learning is part of everyday life—even for dogs!  It also shows how different areas of learning are connected (useful for teaching purposes but mostly just fun!) and how you can learn different things, depending on your perspective. This book is also great for modeling inquiry, since it is full of questions that come up about real world objects and occurrences. 

I think 2^nd and 3^rd graders would especially like this book. My one tiny quibble is that the first line is hard to understand if you’re not familiar with the expression, and that may put some kids off reading it. But it would be an excellent read aloud, especially for early in the school year. I think it’s also a book that kids will love to explore and revisit, because of all the details in the text and illustrations.

Ages: 4 – 8 (according to the publisher, but I think most of this would be beyond a kindergartener’s comprehension level)

Grades: upper primary to junior level

Themes: learning, dogs, school subjects, inquiry

Activities:

Pick your favorite school subject and your favorite animal, and make a comic (or write a page) showing the different things you and your animals might learn in that subject.

Think of an everyday experience, such as what happens when you get home from school, a birthday party, a trip to the park, and write down three different questions about it. Share your wonderings with a partner!

Draw a picture of your pet (or a pet you’d like to have). Which school subject do you think they will enjoy the most? Explain why.