Dogku (2007)
Written by Andrew Clements
Illustrated by Tim Bowers
I first came across this book in the local library while I was searching for Haiku books to be used in a project for a third grade poetry unit in the class I was student teaching in. When I found Dogku I instantly fell in love with it and knew that I would have to add it to my personal collection. As the title hints, Dogku is a story about a dog written completely in Haiku. It is an adorable and simple tale of a lost dog who finds a home and is written from the dog’s perspective. The best words to describe this story are creative and sweet. Andrew Clements does a wonderful job telling the dog’s story in Haiku form, and not only is it a nice story, but it makes for a lovely introduction to the poetry and Haiku genre as well.
The illustrations by Tim Bowers are just as lovely as the story itself. The reader cannot help but fall in love with the absolutely adorable dog and all of the pictures are done in a cartoon style with soft edges and a certain roundness that just makes everything seem so sweet.
I know that the third graders I first read this book to enjoyed it a lot, as well as my five year old and myself. This book will definitely appeal to readers of all different ages, but I think that early and intermediate readers will best comprehend the form of the Haiku writing and get the most out of the story. Dogku is a must read to children learning about Haiku poetry. I have not found a better children’s book written in this style, and it is fun enough to be enjoyed for the story itself as well!
Grade:
Content- A
Illustrations- A
Readability- A
FINAL GRADE- A
