Dear Mrs. LaRue,

Letters from Obedience School

By Mark Teague

Humorous story told in letters that would be a fun, lively mentor text  for Opinion Writing.

Book Talk

Ike LaRue, a dog and the pet of Mrs. Gertrude LaRue, is sent to the Igor Botweiler Canine Academy because he has been misbehaving. (Doing regular type dog ‘stuff”.)  The announcement is put in the local newspaper which introduces readers to the story and sets the scene and mood for the tale.

In the preceding pages, Ike uses every ounce of  charm and persuasion in the way of written letters…to try to convince Mrs. LaRue to take him out of Obedience School.

HIs letters are hilarious and the illustrations add humor to the funny situations that Ike describes.

An example of one letter:

“Dear Mrs. LaRue, You should see what goes on around here. The way my teach—I mean WARDEN. Miss Klondike, barks orders is shocking. Day after day I’m forced to perform the most meaningless tasks. Today it was ‘sit “ and “rollover,” all day long. I flatly refused to roll over.”

The story ends with Ike escaping the Obedience School, Mrs. LaRue feeling guilty, Ike returning and saving Mrs. LaRue as she crosses the street.

Suggested Uses as a Mentor Text:

Book Genre: Fiction

Reading Workshop strategies:  Connecting, Questioning, Analyze

Writing Workshop genre: Opinion Writing

A video interview with Mark Teague: http://www.readingrockets.org/books/interviews/teague