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Friday, June 8, 2012

Perfect Picture Book Friday

Title: Dogku
Author/Illustrator: Andrew Clements/Tim Bowers
Publisher/Date: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers/2007
Genre/Audience: Fiction/Ages 4+

Themes: poetry, haiku, dogs




Opening:
There on the back steps,
the eyes of a hungry dog.
Will she shut the door?

Synopsis:
Written in haiku, a stray dog shows up at a family's doorstep. They feed him, bathe him, name him... but will they keep him?

Why I Love This Book:
How clever is it to write a story in haiku?  17 syllables on each page draws the reader in and moves the story along, effectively, simply.  While full of story, poetic language is instilled throughout, making this a very satisfying poem/story.

Resources:
Check out: http://eduscapes.com/sessions/sidekicks/tutorial.htm
Here you can see the story as a powerpoint, learn haiku, and try your own "petku"!

Writing prompt: Take a story you have written and rewrite it in haiku.  See how streamlined you can make it!

For more links to Perfect Picture Books, a collection of bloggers who contribute at Susanna Leonard Hill’s site, click here.

8 comments:

  1. Laura, this looks great. My kids have ween writing in Haiku at school, and I bet they would love this. Adding it to my library list!
    A2Z Mommy and What’s In Between

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  2. Laura, lovely choice. Thank you for pointing out the Haiku, I would have missed it. Sounds like a great read for kids. Checked out your resource and it was very interesting. Great tool.

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  3. Looks like a lot of fun and a good intro for poetry!

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  4. Wow, I can't even imagine writing a book in haiku, but I think it's wonderful! My aunt, a poet who enjoyed writing haiku, would have loved it. I must point it out to her daughter, who is also a writer.

    Thank you!

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  5. aww... cute book! Lovely energetic and fun Thanks for sharing Laura.

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  6. Excellent and what a great activity to write your own petku - love it!

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  7. I always learn about so many neat books on PPBF. This one looks so fun! Perfect for kids who are learning about haiku...

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  8. I'm not a cat fan, but have loved Lee Wardlaw's Won Ton: A Cat Tale Told in Haiku. Since I'm a dog lover, I'm sure we'll love this one. Thanks!

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