Dear Mrs. Larue - Letters from Obedience School, Mark Teague, 2002

What a fun book which promotes literacy and visual interpretation, too. Ike the dog has been sent to obedience school, and his letters are reminiscent of the "Hello Mudda, Hello Fadda" lyrics: what he writes to his owner isn't very accurate. In fact, Ike spins a tale of woe, misery and selflessness regarding his time in detention, his adventures on the lamb, and his explanations about his previous misdeeds. It's entertaining and interesting to see how the illustrations contradict his letters. Sprinkled throughout the book are newspaper stories about Ike and his whereabouts, which might inspire students to realize how papers do update and inform their readers with great tales about their own towns and community.