LS 5663 Spring 2012: Responding to Poetry

Module 6: Free Choice

Bibliographic information:

Creech, Sharon. Love that dog. New York: HarperCollins, 2001 ISBN: 0060292873

Review:

Award winning author Sharon Creech created an authentic, honest voice for Jack in Love That Dog as he response in verse to his teacher’s assignments, his favorite poet and his own emotions. Jack doesn’t want to write poetry because that’s what girls do. However, after reading Walter Dean Myers’ poetry, Jack discovers that he has much to say. Creech teaches readers about voice, style and mood through Jack’s one sided conversations with his teacher as readers infer the teacher’s words based on Jack’s responses and questions. Readers also join Jack on his journey to discovering the poems hidden in his heart. Creech’s quality writing and hero’s honest emotion and reactions will appeal to readers and may even inspire them to attempt to create their own poetry. Most readers will be able to relate to Jack’s feelings towards poetry, heartbreak over losing his dog and excitement about meeting a favorite author.

Love That Dog is arranged with one poem on each page with dates added for a realistic journaling feel. Because the style of the book is free verse, there is no table of contents or index but the pages are numbered. Creech has however, added a section at the end of the novel titled, “Some of the poems used by Miss Stretchberry” which includes the ”real life” poems that Jack response to in his journal. Either whole or parts of famous poems are printed in this section and allow readers to fully understand the connection Jack was able to make with each poem.



Highlighted Poem:

(p.80-81)

JUNE 1

Mr. Walter Dean Myers Day

I NEVER

In my whole life

EVER

Heard anybody

Who could talk

Like that

Mr. Walter Dean Myers.

All of my blood

In my veins

Was bubbling

And all of the thoughts

In my head

Were buzzing

And

I wanted to keep

Mr. Walter Dean Myers

At our school

Forever.

Introduction/Activity:

2-5th grade: characterization

Read Love That Dog.  Re-read pages 80-81.  Discuss the feelings Jack was expressing in this poem. Ask students how they would feel if they were able to meet their favorite author. Have students write letters to their favorite author asking him/her to come visit their school. Students can refer back to pages 55-59 and read Jack’s letter to Walter Dean Myers to get ideas.