Review of What If I Were My Dog and My Dog Were Me?
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[i][Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "What If I Were My Dog and My Dog Were Me?" by Margaret Van Fleet.][/i] [rwc=id500384-125]2 out of 4 stars.[/rwc]Many children are still learning remotely due to the pandemic. To assist parents, Margaret Van Fleet offers an entertaining story and creative writing activities in the children's book, What If I Were My Dog and My Dog Were Me?
Anyone who has read to children knows their appreciation for the type of nonsensical question posed in the book's title. Can you imagine their giggles when they see the cover and hear the title of this 34-page book? Writing in the first-person narrative and including her dog, Shazam, Van Fleet invites young students to imagine trading places with their pets in a variety of circumstances.
The entertaining story teaches children about pet care, empathy, and using their imaginations. I especially like some of the questions Van Fleet asks as writing prompts for young learners, such as "Why is your family pet special to you?" She makes a point of posing open-ended questions to engage children and encourage their creativity. I also love the book's cute cover.
Unfortunately, the fun cover doesn't reflect the rest of the mediocre illustrations. Since there isn't a preview option available on the Amazon listing, parents selecting the book for their children may be disappointed if they are expecting similar illustrations to the whimsical photography displayed on the cover. For example, the image on the first page is repeated on the twelfth page, and the illustration on the tenth page is so dark, I could barely make out the outline of the pet.
Additionally, the book needs professional editing due to punctuation errors, typos, and duplicate words in the same phrase. It is always important for young readers to see examples of correct grammar and punctuation modeled in their reading material. However, the poor editing is especially problematic given the book's synopsis that describes it as a tool to "improve the writing of a struggling student."
For all of the above reasons, I rate the book 2 out of 4 stars. The clever premise and creative writing prompts rescue it from the lowest rating. However, I would only recommend this book to parents and teachers as a read-aloud story until the editing and illustration issues are corrected. ****** [i]What If I Were My Dog and My Dog Were Me? [/i] View: [url=http://forums.onlinebookclub.org/shelves/book.php?id=500384]on Bookshelves[/url]
Anyone who has read to children knows their appreciation for the type of nonsensical question posed in the book's title. Can you imagine their giggles when they see the cover and hear the title of this 34-page book? Writing in the first-person narrative and including her dog, Shazam, Van Fleet invites young students to imagine trading places with their pets in a variety of circumstances.
The entertaining story teaches children about pet care, empathy, and using their imaginations. I especially like some of the questions Van Fleet asks as writing prompts for young learners, such as "Why is your family pet special to you?" She makes a point of posing open-ended questions to engage children and encourage their creativity. I also love the book's cute cover.
Unfortunately, the fun cover doesn't reflect the rest of the mediocre illustrations. Since there isn't a preview option available on the Amazon listing, parents selecting the book for their children may be disappointed if they are expecting similar illustrations to the whimsical photography displayed on the cover. For example, the image on the first page is repeated on the twelfth page, and the illustration on the tenth page is so dark, I could barely make out the outline of the pet.
Additionally, the book needs professional editing due to punctuation errors, typos, and duplicate words in the same phrase. It is always important for young readers to see examples of correct grammar and punctuation modeled in their reading material. However, the poor editing is especially problematic given the book's synopsis that describes it as a tool to "improve the writing of a struggling student."
For all of the above reasons, I rate the book 2 out of 4 stars. The clever premise and creative writing prompts rescue it from the lowest rating. However, I would only recommend this book to parents and teachers as a read-aloud story until the editing and illustration issues are corrected. ****** [i]What If I Were My Dog and My Dog Were Me? [/i] View: [url=http://forums.onlinebookclub.org/shelves/book.php?id=500384]on Bookshelves[/url]
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