SPIKE: Ugliest Dog in the Universe
The collages in this book were created from worn blue jeans, bits of used clothing, and colored papers.
Introducing Spike and Writing Project
A Look Inside
Classroom Activities
Spike’s Friends
Booklet Folding Directions
How to Fold
a Booklet Video (7:51)
Story COmpletion Sheets
Final story writing sheets. (1 page)
DOG DIARIES VIDEO:
Student Samples
(9:09)
Dog-on-a-stick / Cat-on-a-stick
Fold these simple dog and cat puppets.
Use the story prompts on the back to start developing a character and voice. Click on the images to download.
Supplies needed:
Printed sheet
Plastic knife
Double-stick tape
Discovering Spike’s Voice
Can a Dog Teach Kids
to Write in the First Person?
How do we teach our young writers what it means to create a convincing character’s “voice?” I stumbled on a possible answer when I finished writing and illustrating my picture book SPIKE, Ugliest Dog in the Universe. Oddly, I came to understand more about Spike’s first person narration because it was NOT first “person” — but was instead — “first dog.” In this story, Spike tells us some Big True Things: that beauty is a matter of perspective, (“Humans can be very ugly you know with those long swinging arms and no fur except on top” — ) and that being true to oneself is the strongest voice of all, the one place where love and courage stand a real chance.
Behind the Scenes
Spike, Ugliest Dog in the Universe, is a tale about a dog with a huge heart, a dog who is walking proof of the proverb: Don’t judge a book by its cover!
This tale includes bad guys and good guys, surprises, near misses — and a hero. Guess who? The illustration are collages made from old blue jeans and bits of cloth.
Debra’s Books
