FICTION

Charlie Goes to School

by Ree DRUMMOND
illus. by Diane deGroat. 40p. HarperCollins/Harper. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780062219206.
COPY ISBN
K-Gr 2—Charlie the Ranch Dog helps his family with homeschooling by subtracting animal crackers from the pile during math, listening to books during reading, playing at recess, and eating at snack time. He looks in on the children as they work through their lessons, and he tries to start his own school in the yard with his animal friends. But when the puppy can't focus, the kitten won't count, and the horse tries to eat the books, Charlie decides to take a recess. Though books about homeschooling are scarce, this one is a bit scattered, and some details are unclear without some knowledge of Charlie's previous appearances. The pictures, done in deGroat's signature style, are colorful and detailed, and help to move the story along.—Lindsay Persohn, University of South Florida, Tampa
In this outing, when ranch-dog narrator Charlie discovers that his human family "goes to school at home," he starts a home school, with the other ranch animals as pupils. Predictably, the always-lethargic pup's class doesn't last long. The conventional, family-centric art has appeal, but the story reads like an introduction to home schooling ("There's also recess time!"). A gratuitous dessert recipe is appended.
Reviewed by Lindsay Persohn , Dec 01, 2013

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