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101st out of 673 books
—
222 voters
Dear Mrs. LaRue: Letters from Obedience School (Ike LaRue)
by
Mark Teague
A beguiling dog laments his fate at obedience school through a series of hilarious letters home--by the best-selling illustrator of HOW DO DINOSAURS SAY GOOD NIGHT?
When Ike Larue is "imprisoned" at the Igor Brotweiler Canine Academy, he tries everything to get sent home--weepy letters to his owner, even illness. In reality, Brotweiler is more like camp than prison, but sti...more
When Ike Larue is "imprisoned" at the Igor Brotweiler Canine Academy, he tries everything to get sent home--weepy letters to his owner, even illness. In reality, Brotweiler is more like camp than prison, but sti...more
Hardcover, 32 pages
Published
September 1st 2003
by Scholastic Press
(first published January 1st 2003)
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This book could have been incredibly hilarious, and while for me it didn’t quite make it to that level, I thought it was really cute and funny. The illustrations are great: in color for reality and the alternate scenes, as told by Ike the dog, are in black & white. I love the words that are part of the pictures, and especially loved the chart diagnosis on Ike’s infirmary bed. Anybody who knows and loves dogs will recognize some doggy behaviors and thought processes here, even though Ike is h...more
Ike is a rambunctious dog that has been sent away, by his owner, to obedience school. Ike finds himself at the Igor Brotweiler Canine Academy because of his bad behavior at home. Ike wants nothing more than to go back home to his owner Mrs. LaRue. So he decides to begin writing letters to his owner describing his experiences at the obedience school. As Ike writes his letters, he stretches the truth, in describing how horrible his experiences are at the Canine Academy. But because of the wonderfu...more
This is a truly magnificent picture book about a dog who is sent to obedience school and writes letters home to his owner about how terrible it is, however the school for dogs is actually quite nice. Throughout the story Ike describes about the horrors of the school and how bad they are treating him and the other dogs, while the whole time wondering why he was sent to the horrible place. Mark Teague creates a wonderful book as the illustrations add so much more to the text. I enjoyed how the tex...more
Teague, M. (2002). Dear Mrs. LaRue: Letters from Obedience School. New York: Scholastic Press.
0439206634
Appetizer: Ike LaRue, a dog, has been sentenced to go to obedience school for two months after proving to be a bit of a trouble maker at home. Ike shares his worst daydreams about what is happening at the Igor Brotweiler Canine Academy to Mrs. LaRue through the letters he writes home. Growing frustrated with his situation and Mrs. LaRue's refusal to help, Ike decides to attempt a daring escape...more
0439206634
Appetizer: Ike LaRue, a dog, has been sentenced to go to obedience school for two months after proving to be a bit of a trouble maker at home. Ike shares his worst daydreams about what is happening at the Igor Brotweiler Canine Academy to Mrs. LaRue through the letters he writes home. Growing frustrated with his situation and Mrs. LaRue's refusal to help, Ike decides to attempt a daring escape...more
Genre: fiction, picture book
Topic: obedience school, the life of Ike
Theme: Exaggeration, imagination
Illustrations: The illustrations are combined black and white images and colored images. Each page shows a black and white imaginary scene, the scene written about in the letter. Each page also contains a full color image of reality in the story. For example, one letter refers to the wardens of obedience school. The black and white image shows the dog being dragged into jail by officers. The color...more
Topic: obedience school, the life of Ike
Theme: Exaggeration, imagination
Illustrations: The illustrations are combined black and white images and colored images. Each page shows a black and white imaginary scene, the scene written about in the letter. Each page also contains a full color image of reality in the story. For example, one letter refers to the wardens of obedience school. The black and white image shows the dog being dragged into jail by officers. The color...more
Dear Mrs. LaRue: Letters from Obedience School, by Mark Teague, is a playful story about Ike, a misunderstood puppy. Ike was sent to the Brotweiler Canine Academy by his owner Mrs. LaRue. Ike writes letter after letter to Mrs. LaRue explaining the horrific treatment he is receiving at the academy. However, the intricate illustrations suggest otherwise. For example, when Ike writes about being sent to solitary confinement in a cell, there is a picture of him a nice woman giving all of the dogs tr...more
I faintly remember this book from my childhood, however, after re-reading it, I have come to enjoy the great humor that is presented. This book was written in a creative fashion, from the dog, Ike's point of view. He tells of the torture he is enduring at the dog academy that his owner had sent him to. However that is not the case at all! He is being well treated and taken care of. He has obient school where they learn to sit, stay, and roll over. Ike writes to Mrs. LaRue everyday about the "hor...more
I chose this book even though it wasn't an award winner. I think it should have been! Written and Illustrated by Mark Teague. Perfect for grades 1st through 4th. I would use this book in combination with teaching persuasive writing and friendly letters. When I read it to my class, they were howling with laughter. So much so, I had to stop reading until they calmed down! Poor Ike the dog is sent to Obedience School by his owner Mrs. LaRue after doing normal bad dog things like eating food off the...more
This story is about a dog whose master sends him to obedience school. He does not want to go but realizes he has no choice and he writes very pitiful letters to his owner about how terrible his time there is. The illustrator chose to reflect the story line in a humorous way that showed the exaggeration that the story presents. One scene shows the dog’s influence of “Gruesome Prison Tales” when writing to his owner, when in reality he is relaxing and has all of the trappings of a doggy hotel. The...more
Several unfortunate understandings involving traumatized cats, a missing chicken-pot pie, and a torn camel coat have resulted in the incarceration of Ike at the Brotweiler Canine Academy. Ike and his dramatics do not cease with incarceration as his letters to his caregiver, Mrs. LaRue prove. Unable to take it any longer, Ike escapes. However, Ike soon discovers that a life on the run is not for him, and he returns just to time to save Mrs. LaRue from mortal danger.
Students will want this book re...more
Students will want this book re...more
Nov 26, 2012
Molly Robbins
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Shelves:
2nd-3rd-grade,
animals,
descriptive-words,
vocabulary,
setting,
friends-and-family,
emotions
I really enjoyed reading this book. It is a great book to read and lead into a lesson on setting. There are many different settings throughout the book so you could have your students tell you all of the different places and settings throughout the text to give them practice recognizing and understanding of what it is. This book is full of letters so it would be efficient to teach about the different ways authors write in fiction text. There are a lot descriptive words, so you could have the chi...more
I think that this book is very funny and the dog thinks that this school is very bad.
1 like · like · see review
This was a funny, cute story about Ike LaRue's time in the slammer -- the obedience school slammer, that is. It follows a series of letters he writes home to his owner, begging for release from the torturous situation.
I liked how reality was in color and Ike's imagined scenes were in black and white. It really sets it apart for a child. There is also a good number of words to stretch vocabulary.
I listened to the book on CD as well, and thought it was really well done. The reader was perfect, and...more
I liked how reality was in color and Ike's imagined scenes were in black and white. It really sets it apart for a child. There is also a good number of words to stretch vocabulary.
I listened to the book on CD as well, and thought it was really well done. The reader was perfect, and...more
This was a funny, cute story about Ike LaRue's time in the slammer -- the obedience school slammer, that is. It follows a series of letters he writes home to his owner, begging for release from the torturous situation.
I liked how reality was in color and Ike's imagined scenes were in black and white. It really sets it apart for a child. There is also a good number of words to stretch vocabulary.
I listened to the book on CD as well, and thought it was really well done. The reader was perfect, an...more
I liked how reality was in color and Ike's imagined scenes were in black and white. It really sets it apart for a child. There is also a good number of words to stretch vocabulary.
I listened to the book on CD as well, and thought it was really well done. The reader was perfect, an...more
Everyone thinks Ike is a bad dog, so Mrs. LaRue puts him in obedience school. Ike hates obedience school and starts writing Mrs. LaRue letters to convince her to get him out.
This picture book is a great book for introducing inferences. Students can use the pictures to infer what obedience school is really like compared to how Ike describes it. The pictures show what Ike is imagining, but also what is really happening, so students have lots of support to make inferences. Then they can use the...more
This picture book is a great book for introducing inferences. Students can use the pictures to infer what obedience school is really like compared to how Ike describes it. The pictures show what Ike is imagining, but also what is really happening, so students have lots of support to make inferences. Then they can use the...more
The concept of an epistolary children's book has never crossed my mind, but this one, the story of a melodramatic dog sent to obedience school is light, fun, and full of vivid and entertaining artwork.
Readers are treated to both the pleasant reality of the dog Ike's situation along with his overactive imagination's more horrified perspective as letters from Ike to his owner, Mrs. LaRue, attempt to explain his past behaviors and appeal to her mercy to bring him home.
While the letters do feature s...more
Readers are treated to both the pleasant reality of the dog Ike's situation along with his overactive imagination's more horrified perspective as letters from Ike to his owner, Mrs. LaRue, attempt to explain his past behaviors and appeal to her mercy to bring him home.
While the letters do feature s...more
Summary: Dear Mrs. LaRue collects a series of guilt-inducing letters sent home by the cat-chasing, chicken-pie-eating Ike to his "cruel" owner Mrs. LaRue, whom he hopes will come to her senses and spring him from obedience school. Desperate to come home, Ike shows great enthusiasm for stretching the truth about his treatment at Brotweiler Canine Academy. He uses his letters to describe the place and the people that work there. The reader is able to see Ike stretching the truth, and what is reall...more
This book is about Ike, a dog that is sent to obedience school. I enjoyed reading the letters that Ike sent home to his elderly owner. I hadn't thought too much of it, but another review on this site pointed out that Ike is quite manipulative. From that view, this book does not exactly teach good problem solving skills. You could use that to teach children how not to solve problems. Perhaps asking the children what they thought of the letters that Ike sent home that greatly exaggerated the condi...more
Again, caveat canine.
Cute pictures, funny concept -- a dog at a nice obedience school writes letters to his owner painting the place as a prison for dogs. The "real" pictures are color, and black-and-white pictures illustrate the dog's perceptions.
But again, the message being communicated isn't a good one: the dog is obviously manipulative, skewing everything in his favor, in a way that is humorous but not a good role model for my son. Am I too paranoid? I know it's just one book -- but why expo...more
Cute pictures, funny concept -- a dog at a nice obedience school writes letters to his owner painting the place as a prison for dogs. The "real" pictures are color, and black-and-white pictures illustrate the dog's perceptions.
But again, the message being communicated isn't a good one: the dog is obviously manipulative, skewing everything in his favor, in a way that is humorous but not a good role model for my son. Am I too paranoid? I know it's just one book -- but why expo...more
3rd grade
LaRue is a great book to use with any young writer. In every one of his books he is writing letters and going on an adventures. This book is about how LaRue’s dog Ike is at obedience school wishing to go home. He writes several letters home to his owner to beg to go home. The story goes on explaining how the academy is not a prison for dogs but a camp. The adventure really begins with Ike runs away.
This book would help support a lesson on writing organization. The different parts of t...more
LaRue is a great book to use with any young writer. In every one of his books he is writing letters and going on an adventures. This book is about how LaRue’s dog Ike is at obedience school wishing to go home. He writes several letters home to his owner to beg to go home. The story goes on explaining how the academy is not a prison for dogs but a camp. The adventure really begins with Ike runs away.
This book would help support a lesson on writing organization. The different parts of t...more
I can't help but feel that both me and my daughter are missing something with these books. While we both liked this one which is more than either of us could say for LaRue for Mayor: Letters from the Campaign Trail, which we didn't even finish, neither one of us gives it the glowing remarks I see from so many others.
This one was cute at least, while the other was just annoying, but it wasn't anything near fantastic.
This one was cute at least, while the other was just annoying, but it wasn't anything near fantastic.
Ryan loves this one, written and illustrated by Mark Teague (probably best know for illustrating the How Do Dinosaurs... books). Ike LaRue sends letters to his owner bemoaning the terrible conditions at obedience school. Each page/letter has a black and white illustration that goes along with the letter Ike is writing, as well as a color illustration showing what's really happening. From my perspective it's fun to read and fun to talk about with Ryan. There is at least one other book about Ike t...more
I absolutely love "Dear Mrs. LaRue: Letters from Obedience School!" This story is so fun and I think students throughout elementary grades will enjoy it. I used this book for a lesson on making predictions. Students needed to predict certain things throughout the story using the pictures, the words from the story, and their prior knowledge. Also, this would be a great book to use for a text-user lesson. The whole story is written on "post-cards." It would be fun to have the students create their...more
I loved this book. I had read it before but had forgotten how well written it was. It is all about a dog who is continuously writing letters stating that he needs to get out of the canine academy that he was put in. The book starts off right in the beginning relating to children, which will make it more interesting for them and easier for them to connect to. This book would also be great for teaching students how to write letters or the components of letters because that is almost entirely what...more
I love how the majority of the book is written in letter form. Especially today, it is not often that we write letters. Instead it is more common for a facebook message, text message or email. Proper letter written is slimming, but with an introduction like "Dear Mrs. LaRue" students can be introduced to writing letters the appropriate formatting. I enjoyed the clever signings rather than sticking to sincerely for love. They bring out the mood of the letter which is another aspect important to l...more
When I came across this book, I knew I had to read it. A dog writing letters home from dog obedience school? How can this not be an enjoyable book? Poor, misunderstood Ike has been sent off to the Igor Brotweiler Canine Academy by his harried owner Mrs. Gertrude R. LaRue. Ike does what any dog would do in such a situation; he tries to make his owner feel so guilty about putting him there that she will come and get him. He does have a point of sorts, as the straw that broke the camel's (or, in th...more
This is a fun book in which a wire fox terrier, Ike La Rue, is sent to obedience school after ruining Mrs. La Rue's coat. Ike writes letters home detailing the horrible conditions at the school. Color pictures juxtapose reality with Ike's melodramatic descriptions.
This can be used to introduce and have children practice letter writing, as well as comparing and contrasting Ike's fiction with his reality. Primary students as well as secondary students can benefit from this book.
This can be used to introduce and have children practice letter writing, as well as comparing and contrasting Ike's fiction with his reality. Primary students as well as secondary students can benefit from this book.
1 like · like · see review
There are so many activities to do with this book! Since the main text is written on postage, students can practice their letter writing and mailing abilities. Students can pretend they are somewhere and write a persuasive letter explaining why they want to leave. This book can also be a lesson on exaggeration in writing and understanding exaggerated text. I would read this aloud page by page and have students practice predicting what they think the next letter will say.
This book is a compilation of sarcastic letters from the dog (who gets put in "prison" obedience school) to his owner, Mrs. LaRue. The dog is a crack up, and it made me laugh hard. But I started reading it to the Kindergarteners, and I think most of it was over their heads. Probably more appropriate for 1st or 2nd grade. It kind of had some "too big words" for the 5-year-olds to really catch on what the dog was talking about. Still a good mom/kid read-together book.
This is a charming book put together by a sequence of letters written from the dog ‘Ike’ to his owner Mrs. LaRue. This book is full of discovering points of view that would not be expected; like Ike’s view of the Brotweiler Canine Academy, the reasoning for his behavior versus Mrs. LaRue’s bad dog view. This book would be great in the classroom if there was a lesson of writing letters or looking at the different perspectives the characters have.
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Mark Teague has delighted young readers with more than 20 picture books, and he has written many of them himself, including the popular Pigsty, Baby Tamer, and One Halloween Night. He is also the illustrator of Cynthia Rylant's beloved Poppleton series for beginning readers and the best-selling books by Jane Yolen, How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight and How Do Dinosaurs Get Well Soon.
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Dec 26, 2012 02:45pm
I agree, though I could see it being even funnier, though not with me as the writer.
Dec 26, 2012 02:51pm