Love That Dog
Encyclopedia
Love That Dog is a blank verse
piece written by Sharon Creech
and published by HarperCollins
. It is written in diary format, in the perspective of a young boy who resists poetry assignments from his teacher. The author drew inspiration from Walter Dean Myers
' poem, Love That Boy. The book received good reviews and was a finalist for the 2001 Carnegie Medal
as well as being commended at the 2002 Children's Book Awards. The book has also appeared on the New York Times Best Seller list
. Love That Dog is composed of multiple short chapters - each chapter is listed as a diary entry. As the novel develops and Jack's confidence grows, so does his literary style. His progression from short and defiant sentences to more sophisticated poetry is striking.
Blank verse
Blank verse is poetry written in unrhymed iambic pentameter. It has been described as "probably the most common and influential form that English poetry has taken since the sixteenth century" and Paul Fussell has claimed that "about three-quarters of all English poetry is in blank verse."The first...
piece written by Sharon Creech
Sharon Creech
Sharon Creech is an American novelist of children's fiction.-Biography:Sharon Creech was born in South Euclid, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland, where she grew up with her parents , one sister , and three brothers...
and published by HarperCollins
HarperCollins
HarperCollins is a publishing company owned by News Corporation. It is the combination of the publishers William Collins, Sons and Co Ltd, a British company, and Harper & Row, an American company, itself the result of an earlier merger of Harper & Brothers and Row, Peterson & Company. The worldwide...
. It is written in diary format, in the perspective of a young boy who resists poetry assignments from his teacher. The author drew inspiration from Walter Dean Myers
Walter Dean Myers
Walter Dean Myers is an African American author of young adult literature. Myers has written over fifty books, including novels and nonfiction works. He has won the Coretta Scott King Award for African American authors five times...
' poem, Love That Boy. The book received good reviews and was a finalist for the 2001 Carnegie Medal
Carnegie Medal
The Carnegie Medal is a literary award established in 1936 in honour of Scottish philanthropist Andrew Carnegie and given annually to an outstanding book for children and young adults. It is awarded by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals...
as well as being commended at the 2002 Children's Book Awards. The book has also appeared on the New York Times Best Seller list
New York Times Best Seller list
The New York Times Best Seller list is widely considered the preeminent list of best-selling books in the United States. It is published weekly in The New York Times Book Review magazine, which is published in the Sunday edition of The New York Times and as a stand-alone publication...
. Love That Dog is composed of multiple short chapters - each chapter is listed as a diary entry. As the novel develops and Jack's confidence grows, so does his literary style. His progression from short and defiant sentences to more sophisticated poetry is striking.