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Synopsis
Words first! That s the way Jenny s teacher says a story must begin. But Jenny loves to draw, not to write. Besides, how can she possibly concentrate on a story when her pet guinea pig, Patches, has disappeared? How Jenny finally finds her pet and the words to her story makes for a winning tale about the creative spirit.
Children's Literature
Jenny loved to draw and she drew pictures of just about everything around her and everything she did. Drawing was easy for Jenny, but writing was hard. So when her teacher gave the class an assignment to write a story, Jenny couldn't think of anything to write about. When Jenny got home from school, she found that her pet guinea pig, Patches, was missing. Mom and Jenny looked for Patches during the next few days without success and, all along, Jenny drew pictures of what might have happened to her pet. Finally Patches showed up, but Jenny had not progressed with the assignment to write a story. Mom pointed out that the pictures Jenny drew all week about Patches told a story and suggested that she just add words to the pictures. Jenny did this and produced a great story. Perhaps Jenny could have had a bigger part in realizing there was a story in her drawings, but this is a minor point. This is a good story, sure to be enjoyed by kids, and the clever illustrations add slyly humorous touches throughout the book. 2001, Winslow Press, $16.95. Ages 5 to 8. Reviewer: Carolyn Mott Ford