Patches Lost and Found

By Steven Kroll

Book Overview

Words first! That's the way Jenny's teacher says a story must begin. But Jenny loves to draw, not to write. Besides, how can she possibly concentrate on a story when her pet guinea pig, Patches, has disappeared? How Jenny finally finds her pet -- and the words to her story -- makes for a winning tale about the creative spirit.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1890817538
• ISBN13: 9781890817534
• Release Date: April 2001
• Publisher: Winslow Press
• Length: 40 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.5" x 0.5" x 12.0"
• Age Range: 5 to 8 years
• Grade Range: Kindergarten to Grade 3

Customer Reviews

Great book!

Book was adorable for 1st grade! I bought it to go with Stefanie Harvey's Comprehension Toolkit for Grades K-2.

Patches

I used this book to introduce writer's workshop and help my students see that they can write about anything!

Excellent for use in the classroom/LMC

Patches Lost and Found tells the story of Jenny and her pet guinea pig, Patches. Jenny, who loves to draw, is assigned to write a story for school. She's nervous about the assignment because she isn't very good at coming up with ideas for stories. When she gets home from school that day, her mother tells her that Patches has escaped from his cage and is missing. They put up posters around town and Jenny draws pictures showing all the things that might have happened to Patches. Luckily, a neighbor finds Patches, but Jenny still hasn't written her story. Later that day her Mom comes into her room and shows her that she can add words to her pictures of Patches to tell a story. I would recommend this book for ages 6 and 7. Most children in this age group will be able to identify with being nervous about an assignment for school, and they will be reassured that Jenny was able to overcome her difficulties and succeed in writing the story. There are a variety of ways this book could be shared with children in a school setting. It could be read as part of a section on writing stories, with the children later drawing pictures and then writing stories to go along with them. These stories could possibly be the children's own ideas about what could have happened to Patches. Another idea would be to teach the children about guinea pigs, possibly having a real guinea pig in the classroom, and then follow the lesson with this story. The artwork in the book was prepared digitally. Jenny looks like she could be a character in a cartoon on Nickelodeon. Children would find this very appealing. Kids would also enjoy the pictures Jenny draws of Patches because they probably look similar to pictures they would draw themselves. The artwork does a good job of telling the story, showing each picture Jenny draws along the way and then displaying Jenny's story about Patches with the pictures.

Patches Lost and Found

When Jenny is assigned to write a stroy for school on anything she wants, she doesn't know what to do. Jenny likes to draw, and writing has never been easy for her. When Jenny comes home from school, and her mom tells her Patches is missing, Jenny draws pictures of Patches, and they hung then up all over town. When Jenny is in her room, she draws things that might have happened to Patches. Three days later and still no Patches, and Jenny still has no story. On Saturday morning Patches is found, but Jenny still has no story. Jenny's mom goes in her room that night while Jenny is cuddling with Patches. Jenny tell her mom she still has no story. Jenny's mom looks on the wall and see's all the pictures she tells Jenny that can be her story all she has to do is add words. So Jenny does and she does a very good job. I would recommend this book for children ages 4-9.

Super Book for Teachers!!!!!!

This is the perfect book for a teacher to use in the classroom. It helps children understand that when they have to write something, they don't always have to write then draw a picture to go with it, they might do better drawing first then putting words to it later!! The story is realistic and very fun to read with great illustrations!!!!!!!