Love That Dog

This book is a 2002 Bluebonnet Book

Exposition: This story is a dialogue between young Jack and his teacher. This is written as Jack's journal and although we do not hear what the teacher writes back to him, we can infer quite easily. The class is beginning a unit on poetry and Jack is adamently anti-poetry.
Conflict: Jack begrudgingly enters the poetry unit with little enthusiasm. However, when poems and their authors are introduced he slowly becomes more interested. He enjoys some more than others and even writes some of his own. One of his poems seems to haunt him as it is about a car racing down the street. He is very emotional about the poem and the reader soon learns it's about his dog, Sky. He continues with other poems about his yellow dog.
Rising Action: When a poem by Walter Dean Myers is introduced Jack is finally able to finish his own poem. He writes to Walter Dean Myers to request a visit to his school.
Climax: The reader learns that Sky, Jack's dog, was hit by a car and died. And then something good happens! Walter Dean Myers came to visit Jack's class.
Falling Action: After the visit from Mr. Myers Jack is elated! The reader feels he has a new appreciation for poetry. He writes the author a thank you letter.
Resolution: Included in Jack's thank you letter was a tribute poem he wrote to his dog, Sky. It was also a tribute to Mr. Myers poems as it was "inspired by Walter Dean Myers."

This book is packed full of literary elements. Of course the poems use much figurative language and imagary.  Jack's own poem shows the element of rhythm such as "wag-wag-wagging," "slob-slob-slobbering," and "thud, thud, thud."
Creech, S. (2001). Love that dog. New York: Harpers Collins Publishing.