My Crazy Dog: My Narrative Essay

Gr 2–4—This title opens with Mrs. Shirky giving her class the assignment to write a narrative essay. One of her students decides to write about his dog. The boy's mischievous pup, Clark Kent, does not want to get his shots. In an effort to escape, he has many missteps including waking the baby, running outside, knocking over a bird feeder, jumping in a fish pond, and hiding under the porch. This book is good for visual learners, since it starts with big pictures and limited text. Illustrations are fun and feature thought and speech bubbles. A brightly colored list of see, hear, smell, taste, and feel words capture the mood of each scene. Tips about writing the narrative essay follow the sample essay and include choosing a topic, dialogue, introduction, and conclusion. The book ends with the dog asleep on the chair.