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Patches Lost and Found
When Mr. Griswold gives the class a writing assignment, Jenny--who loves to draw--draws, then writes, a story about losing and finding her pet guinea pig, Patches.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2001
10 people are currently reading
40 people want to read
About the author
Steven Kroll
126 books28 followersStephen Kroll spoke at schools and conferences all over the world. He was married to the journalist, Kathleen Beckett, and they lived in New York City and an old carriage house in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. When he was not writing or traveling, he played a lot of tennis and walked around looking at everything.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
October 13, 2017
Read this to Patches, my guinea pig. It was cute. I think she was more interested in trying to eat it though...
July 2, 2024
Okay, I have a real problem with people who think guinea pigs are just big hamsters. The artist has Patches the guinea pig in a cage with a wheel. Guinea pigs do not use wheels. They just stare at them or try to hide under them.
I also have a problem with the guinea pig owning girl. She draws pictures of her lost guinea pig, yet hardly bothers looking for him. She lets everyone else do all of the work.
The main plot is not about the lost guinea pig, but a hard homework assignment: write a story.
If you have a lost guinea pig, get up off of your ass and LOOK for the pet. Guinea pigs can only go a couple of days without food. They are prone to extreme temperatures. They also are basically defenseless against natural predators, especially cats, traffic, or really sick people.
I know I'm going off a bit on a kid's book, but JAYSUS MURPHY.
Call it a pet peeve.
The rest of the art is even better than the wheel thing. When putting up lost pet posters, somehow a dog gets a poster taped around his body. Books on the classroom shelves have unusual titles like, Noses and Book Learnin'. The other students have stories with titles like, "The Yak Boy" and "Tale of Two Kitties."
I have a feeling those stories were better than this one.
I also have a problem with the guinea pig owning girl. She draws pictures of her lost guinea pig, yet hardly bothers looking for him. She lets everyone else do all of the work.
The main plot is not about the lost guinea pig, but a hard homework assignment: write a story.
If you have a lost guinea pig, get up off of your ass and LOOK for the pet. Guinea pigs can only go a couple of days without food. They are prone to extreme temperatures. They also are basically defenseless against natural predators, especially cats, traffic, or really sick people.
I know I'm going off a bit on a kid's book, but JAYSUS MURPHY.
Call it a pet peeve.
The rest of the art is even better than the wheel thing. When putting up lost pet posters, somehow a dog gets a poster taped around his body. Books on the classroom shelves have unusual titles like, Noses and Book Learnin'. The other students have stories with titles like, "The Yak Boy" and "Tale of Two Kitties."
I have a feeling those stories were better than this one.
May 23, 2018
The only thing I found wrong with this Kindle version, was the words would not always come up easily to a larger size, for my old eyes.
This little girl loves to draw, which reminds me of my youngest son, who tells me he is a visual learner, and that is the kind of learner that is described in this book. She is given an assignment to write a story, and she asks if she can draw it. She can't think of a story to write, but as her life unfolds, she draws pictures of it, with embellishments, of what could have happened. She hangs her pictures on the wall, and her mother tells her that can be her story, and now she just needs to add words. Her story is well received as she tells and shows it to her class. The teacher learns that a child doesn't always have to start with the words, but can start with pictures.
This little girl loves to draw, which reminds me of my youngest son, who tells me he is a visual learner, and that is the kind of learner that is described in this book. She is given an assignment to write a story, and she asks if she can draw it. She can't think of a story to write, but as her life unfolds, she draws pictures of it, with embellishments, of what could have happened. She hangs her pictures on the wall, and her mother tells her that can be her story, and now she just needs to add words. Her story is well received as she tells and shows it to her class. The teacher learns that a child doesn't always have to start with the words, but can start with pictures.
January 17, 2018
What a wonderful story of how Jenny was finally able to...
I liked the storyline and illustrations too as well as this book confirmed with me that one could begin drawing images first and then text as I am a new children's author and illustrator myself. Therefore I wish to recommend this for five stars, kids ages 6-8 and in grades K-3rd grade perhaps too. I received this for free using KU, and in return, here's my honest review. Super work Steven! By Sunny.
I liked the storyline and illustrations too as well as this book confirmed with me that one could begin drawing images first and then text as I am a new children's author and illustrator myself. Therefore I wish to recommend this for five stars, kids ages 6-8 and in grades K-3rd grade perhaps too. I received this for free using KU, and in return, here's my honest review. Super work Steven! By Sunny.
September 10, 2018
This book is SO awesome to use with the writing process and for encouraging reluctant writers who love to draw.
I just wish the title didn't have "and Found" in it - a total giveaway!
4.5 stars
I just wish the title didn't have "and Found" in it - a total giveaway!
4.5 stars
September 14, 2017
Words first, or pictures first? Good for beginning writers.
July 26, 2018
Fun book & good length
Nice length. Good fun book about a girl & how she wrote a story inspired by her missing gineau pig.
Nice length. Good fun book about a girl & how she wrote a story inspired by her missing gineau pig.
March 5, 2019
Wonderful story
Great story about a little girl's lost guinea pig. Nice colorful illustrations. Recommend everyone one to read. You have to read to find out the ending.
Great story about a little girl's lost guinea pig. Nice colorful illustrations. Recommend everyone one to read. You have to read to find out the ending.
February 18, 2020
great illustrations, i think the teacher does remind me of a teacher i had?? so fun! fun colors, great characters.
March 2, 2014
Sometimes students can instruct their teachers.
Jenny is having an awful week. She is not a writer but when Mr. Griswold informs the class that they are to write a story, Jenny feels doomed. Asking if she can just draw a picture she is told “No, words first”.
Dread overwhelms her and that is compounded when she arrives home at the end of the day only to find that her pet guinea pig, Patches, has escaped his cage.
Jenny, doing what comes naturally for her, draws pictures. Lost posters and visuals of what she thinks could have happened to her beloved friend.
In the end, it is the teacher, Mr. Griswold that is learning the lesson of the day. Not all children process in the same way, sometimes pictures have to come first. They have to visualize the story and draw out a conclusion before a narrative can be written.
This is a wonderful tale to help your young budding writers over the hump of coming up with a story. If they are visual or tactile learners have them draw the story, then write what the story is telling them.
An excellent addition for the young author or illustrator in your life.
Jenny is having an awful week. She is not a writer but when Mr. Griswold informs the class that they are to write a story, Jenny feels doomed. Asking if she can just draw a picture she is told “No, words first”.
Dread overwhelms her and that is compounded when she arrives home at the end of the day only to find that her pet guinea pig, Patches, has escaped his cage.
Jenny, doing what comes naturally for her, draws pictures. Lost posters and visuals of what she thinks could have happened to her beloved friend.
In the end, it is the teacher, Mr. Griswold that is learning the lesson of the day. Not all children process in the same way, sometimes pictures have to come first. They have to visualize the story and draw out a conclusion before a narrative can be written.
This is a wonderful tale to help your young budding writers over the hump of coming up with a story. If they are visual or tactile learners have them draw the story, then write what the story is telling them.
An excellent addition for the young author or illustrator in your life.
April 11, 2013
I liked this book because the teacher gave all the students an assignment to write a story. He told the class you have to write the words first. The little girl lost her pet ginny pig and was very worried. She started drawing pictures about what might have happened and put them on her wall. At the end her neighbor found the ginny pig and brought him back over. The little girl was so excited, but told her mom she still didn't have an idea for her story. Her mom looked at her pictures on the wall and said I think you have it already drawn and just need to put words to the pictures. She went to school the next day and turned in her paper. She told her teacher that this story started with pictures first and then words.
August 9, 2016
Steven Kroll, Patches Lost and Found (Amazon Children's Publishing, 2001)
Full disclosure: this book was provided to me free of charge by Amazon Vine.
This is another one I liked a great deal better than the Bean does so far, and may be too old for him yet. Jenny, who loves to draw pictures, is given an assignment to write a story in class and can't think of anything to write about. When she gets home, her mother informs her that her hamster Patches is missing. (You can see how these dovetail.) There's some good stuff here about various forms of creativity, and while the ending is a little on the deus ex machina side, I can't really fault the book for that. I found it quite enjoyable and will keep trying to pitch it to the Bean until he grows into it. *** ½
Full disclosure: this book was provided to me free of charge by Amazon Vine.
This is another one I liked a great deal better than the Bean does so far, and may be too old for him yet. Jenny, who loves to draw pictures, is given an assignment to write a story in class and can't think of anything to write about. When she gets home, her mother informs her that her hamster Patches is missing. (You can see how these dovetail.) There's some good stuff here about various forms of creativity, and while the ending is a little on the deus ex machina side, I can't really fault the book for that. I found it quite enjoyable and will keep trying to pitch it to the Bean until he grows into it. *** ½
January 11, 2015
Here is another book that focuses on the difficulties in writing for younger children (well, for all of us, to be honest). A young girl loses her pet guinea pig and sets out to find it. At the same time, her teacher has requested a writing project to be turned in, a subject area that the girl struggles with. In the process of searching for her pet, she draws a series of pictures of what her imagination fantastically envisions has happened.
The art is cute, the story has some good points, and is a fun read to get kids to see how writing can be accomplished if you simply tap into your imagination. The adults come across as a bit naïve, but on the whole, it's a cute story as a pre-write for younger children.
The art is cute, the story has some good points, and is a fun read to get kids to see how writing can be accomplished if you simply tap into your imagination. The adults come across as a bit naïve, but on the whole, it's a cute story as a pre-write for younger children.
August 28, 2015
My mentor teacher read this in Kinder on day 3 of school. What I liked about this book is that the main character draws pictures of what might have happened to her pet since he has been missing, and finds that she has something to write about in class - her picture story about her missing pet (almost like a storyboard). This book can be used for showing different ways to write a story, or different ways of thinking. Can be adapted for grades 1 & 2, I think. Maybe even 3
March 10, 2009
Jenny loves to draw. Her teacher givers her an impossible task (for her) -- write a story words first, pictures later. While searching for her missing guinea pig she draws many pictures about where he could be. In the end, she teaches the teacher that stories can be written in many ways.
April 1, 2011
This was great and the PERFECT book to read kids when beginning the writing process. This book is also a prime example of how it is easier for children to draw first and add words later. I loved it for children and for me as an educator.
September 24, 2012
I love the message more than the story. She needs to write a story for class. She's stumped. She gets there by illustrating what's going on in her life. It's a cool way to help kids het over writer's block.
March 11, 2013
This is a great story about a girl losing her guinea pig and capturing all her thoughts in her drawings. I think this is great because in our literacy course we often discuss allowing children to capture their ideas in pictures then making it a story.
May 4, 2009
Great theme of writing as pictures to story; Great classroom connections. A little didactic.
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May 20, 2009JEAR2-Kro
May 11, 2010
This is a cute book about a girl who loses her guinea pig and writes about it in school. The illustrations are done on computer.
September 29, 2010
Students can definitely relate to getting a homework assignment that they just don't want to do! This is a great story to teach students how to make text to self-connections while reading.
July 1, 2011
A cute story with a teaching point. Sometimes there are other ways to do things. Jenny certainly shows this as she imagines what has happened to her guinea pig Patches.
October 1, 2011
A very cute book about a little girl who's good at drawing, but not so good at writing. So she figures out a way to tell a story the best way she can.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews