And they could easily identify with Rockets frustrations and excitement. They loved spotting the early pictures of owl peaking out of her nest, guessing that Rocket would discover the bird atop the tree.

Hills' picture support and choice of words perfectly supported and encouraged these new readers. Reading this with a small group of beginning readers in 1st grade, they loved spotting words they could read on Rocket's word tree and in his story. But best of all, he shows how much the little owl wants to hear Rocket's story. Hills does not rush the pacing, showing that stories take time and effort to develop. Rocket works hard on his story, wagging his tail when it's going well, growling when he's frustrated. Rocket is excited to use all of his new words to write a story, finding inspiration in a shy little owl perched atop a tall pine tree. He collects words, brings them back, and adds them to his word tree - with the help of his faithful teacher, the little yellow bird. When he opened a new book, it smelled like a place he'd never been to, like a friend he'd never met.' Talk about an opening that melts my heart!Įvery day, Rocket goes off looking for new words. 'Rocket even liked the way books smelled. He brings a sweetness and warmth to Rocket that is comforting without being overly-sweet.Īvailable at your local library and on AmazonRocket has always loved listening to stories, and now that he can read he absolutely loves books. In this new book, Tad Hills creates a story that celebrates friendship, perseverance and the joy of creating your own story. Rocket Writes a Story is the sequel to one of my favorite school stories: Rocket Learns to Read. Ages 4 8.Rocket is an utterly adorable little dog that makes me smile every time I see him. Along the way, Hills gently demonstrates the power of stories to build bridges: a shy owl in a pine tree (the subject of Rocket's story) gradually befriends Rocket as the dog shares his story with her. 'Remember, stories take time,' says the bird, who pushes Rocket to add details to his story and think about what his characters are like. When he didn't know what to write, he growled') while offering excellent tips for children following in the dog's footsteps. Hills is adept at showing Rocket's setbacks and successes ('When things were going well, he wagged his tail.

Rocket literally sniffs out new words that he and his teacher, the yellow bird from the first book, display on notes on the branches of a word tree (a project tailor-made for teachers looking for their next bulletin board), and the dog struggles to find a topic, create characters, and find inspiration for his story. In a natural follow-up to How Rocket Learned to Read (2010), the black-and-white puppy with a 1950s crew cut and an irrepressible desire to learn adds writing to his skills.

Rocket writes a story