Teach Reading and Writing Issue 19

50 | www.teachwire.net PERSUASIVE WRITING As well as being a phenomenal read-aloud, A Street Dog Named Pup asks a lot of important questions about animal welfare, including issues around selective breeding, hunting, puppy farming, dog fighting and whether it is too easy to purchase a dog or other animal to keep at home. Later in the book, Pup also spends some time with a homeless man. Although being sensitive around these issues is obviously crucial, they provide fantastic opportunities for persuasive writing. A letter to a local politician about one of the questions addressed in the book would give the pupils a real sense of purpose for their work. PROLOGUE The prologue tells the story of Sirius, the ‘Dog Star’, the brightest star in the night sky, recounting the myth of how it acquired its nickname. The tale of Sirius is referred to regularly throughout the book, especially when the dogs are scared and need reassurance. They believe that, however bad things appear to be, Sirius will provide them with guidance and help. Comparisons can be made to how humans often use myths, dogs in the pack has their own tragic story about how they ended up living on the streets. Pup soon forms strong friendships with the other dogs; relationships and loyalties that the entire pack need to rely on when their home is threatened by the terrifying Fang and his gang of menacing Sewer Dogs. I’ve read dozens of books to children over the years, and very few have the emotional impact that A Street Dog Named Pup provides. It’s definitely a book that needs reading before sharing it with a class, partly because there are so many character voices to think about. The last time I read it, Frenchi, the loyal bulldog, was a combination of Ray Winstone and Danny Dyer. Clown, the impetuous boxer, was based on Boris Johnson, and Merle, the anxious border collie, shared quite a few similarities with Jodie Whittaker’s recent incarnation of Dr Who. More importantly, though, it also contains scenes of animal cruelty, which some children may find distressing, and so it is important for adults to know what is coming. Activities based around the book A Street Dog Named Pup is a book filled with opportunities for further exploration. We had endless discussions as we were reading it about the backstories of the main characters and the relationships between them. Character web The relationships between the various characters in Pup’s pack are complex and nuanced. The animals work well together as a group, but there are some particularly strong friendships that evolve as the story progresses. There are also some less secure relationships, Book topic with a short description, which would be a great starting point for a character profile, as well as being perfect for further expansion. The children could include details about each dog’s background, strengths and weaknesses, fears and aspirations, and friendships, both within the group and with other key characters. Backstories Each of the dogs has their own backstory, explaining why they are on the streets. Some of these are given in detail, some are just alluded to. Creating a short comic strip or piece of narrative around the early adventures of a favourite character is an exciting way to bring them to life for readers. My class were absolutely intrigued by some of the less prominent members of the pack, Saffy and Clown in particular, and were very excited to have the opportunity to add more depth to their lives. perhaps caused by jealousy or a lack of trust. Creating a visual representation of these relationships as a class is a really good way of helping the children understand them. We started by simply listing the dogs in the pack on a large piece of paper and drawing lines between them in different colours, which varied according to how close we thought the relationship was. We then added one or two words describing the friendships. If something similar were displayed in your classroom, it could easily be added to and built on as you reach the end of each chapter. Individual profiles We learn a lot about each of the eight dogs in Pup’s pack (Pup, a German Shepherd cross; Frenchi, a French bulldog; Rex, a pit bull cross; Saffy, a Labrador; Lady Fifi, a Jack Russell cross; Clown, a boxer; Reynard, a foxhound; Merle, a border collie). At the start of the book, there are some wonderful character portraits, each Take it further