At first, Jack does not want to write poetry because 'boys don't
write poetry. Girls do.' However, as his teacher Miss Stretchberry
shows him how honest, direct responses can be crafted, he comes to
understand himself better. Reluctant at first even to admit that he
had a pet, eventually he is able to write a poem commemorating his
relationship with his dog Sky. It is extremely difficult to
categorize this book. Written entirely in Jack's words, it tells
the story of his awakening as a writer. It has all the elements of
a poem: it is condensed; it juxtaposes images and ideas and it
relies on the reader's experience to fill in the spaces and give it
meaning. Published as a children's book, perhaps because of its
length, central character and simple vocabulary, it has equal, if
not more, appeal for adults. Sharon Creech is to be congratulated
on the range of effects and the complexity of emotions she creates
in very basic language. Usefully, the poems which Miss Stretchberry
teaches appear in full at the back of the book. Though not
unfamiliar, they are generally refreshingly modern, not the classic
poems of the late 19th and early 20th-century which often fill up
school books. William Carlos William's Red Wheelbarrow is a
particularly valuable inclusion. A lovely book which can be read
over and over again, Love that Dog could be used in schools as an
antidote to the National Curriculum. It certainly shows the
importance of reading poetry as a stimulus for writing. Creech
generously dedicates it to all the poets and teachers who inspire
students every day. Most would feel fulfilled if they had inspired
just one child like Jack. (Kirkus UK)
This is a prose novel about a boy who has to write a poem, and then another, and then even more. Soon the little boy is writing about all sorts of things he has not really come to terms with, and astounding things start to happen.
'Is it a diary? Is it poetry? Is it a novel? Who cares? It's simply the most original book I've read for years, and now I see it as my duty to tell the world that the book that cannot be pigeonholed has been written. Long live the author, may her imagination touch us all.' Benjamin Zephaniah
'An inspiration.' Sunday Times
'Clever, funny, moving.' Financial Times
'Wonderful fun.' Daily Telegraph
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