Thank You, Miss Doover

Gr 1—3—Miss Doover's class is learning about thank-you letters, so Jack writes to Great-Aunt Gertie, who has given him personalized stationery. Small panels opposite his second draft show uses for her gift and introduce his dog. Besides correcting his spelling, Jack's teacher shows him how to expand the letter and revise it to spare his relative's feelings ("It's not my favorite gift, but I have used it a lot"). Several carefully worded drafts conceal—as the clever pictures do not—Puddly's accident, soaked up by pages of Jack's writing paper. Pulver successfully gets into the minds of both Jack ("But Mom said she hopes Great-Aunt Gertie never finds out how I used it!") and Miss Doover ("Aaaaaaaargh!") through speech and thought bubbles. In a last thank-you letter—this one to his teacher—Jack realizes why her name is Miss Doover. Using colored pencils and acrylic paint, Sisson crafts a series of panels and spreads intermingled with multiple thank-you letters on notebook paper. With its succession of teachable moments, this is a fine, funny writing lesson.—Mary Jean Smith, Southside Elementary School, Lebanon, TN