Cookie, the Walker by Monroe Chris. 2013.

So, You Want to be Famous...

Cookie, the walker by Monroe, Chris — Carolrhoda Books, 2013--E-; Int Lvl: K-3; Rd Lvl: 2.2 A dog who gains fame and fabulous treats by walking on her hind legs soon misses her old life.

Rationale: This is a perfect book to use as a Wisdom Book (See Wisdom of Picture Books)--there’s a fun story and fun illustrations plus a character thought, and it’s the character thought that makes Cookie a Wisdom Book. You might want to team it with Officer Buckle and Gloria and compare how fame affects another dog and his handler. OR, use Cookie with Grade One and Officer Buckle with Grade Two. OR, do Buckle at the beginning of the year and Cookie later in the year. Spend some time talking about how entertainers and sports stars react to fame and fortune--some positively, others negatively. Which sets a better example, if either?

Related Titles:

Flop to the top! by Davis, Eleanor — A TOON Book, 2015--741.5; Int Lvl: K-3; Rd Lvl: 1.6 Wanda's plan to make herself famous backfires when her floppy-faced dog starts drawing all the attention.

Do you have a dog? by Spinelli, Eileen — Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2011--E-; Int Lvl: K-3; Rd Lvl: 2.4 Rhyming text describes some famous historical figures, from Annie Oakley and Merriwether Lewis to Sigmund Freud and Billie Holiday, and their beloved dogs. Includes facts about the people cited in the book. FREE Teaching Resources available for download at www.titlewave.com

Naughty Mabel by Lane, Nathan — Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2015--E-; Int Lvl: K-3; Rd Lvl: 2.4 Mabel, the fanciest and sassiest dog the Hamptons has ever seen, causes all sorts of chaos for her parents with her naughty hijinx.

Strongheart : the world's first movie star dog by McCully, Emily Arnold  — Henry Holt and Company, 2014--E-; Int Lvl: K-3; Rd Lvl: 2.4 When silent movie director Larry Trimble decides to put Strongheart, a police dog, into his movies as the lead actor, he must first train him to play with toys and walk like a regular dog, but Strongheart becomes a sensation until his military training leads to trouble, and possibly the end of his career. Includes author's note on the real Strongheart.

Officer Buckle and Gloria by Rathmann, Peggy — Putnam's, 1995--E-; Int Lvl: K-3; Rd Lvl: 2.9 The children at Napville Elementary School always ignore Officer Buckle's safety tips, until a police dog named Gloria accompanies him when he gives his safety speeches.

The incredible life of Balto by McCarthy, Meghan — Knopf, 2011--636.73; Int Lvl: K-3; Rd Lvl: 3.5 Illustrations and text describe the life of Balto, the real-life, legendary sled dog that braved a deadly blizzard to bring a lifesaving serum to people in Alaska in 1925, focusing on the dog's life after his celebrity-status waned.

Togo by Blake, Robert J — Philomel Books, 2002--E-; Int Lvl: K-3; Rd Lvl: 4.0 In 1925, Togo, a Siberian husky who loves being a sled dog, leads a team that rushes to bring diphtheria antitoxin from Anchorage to Nome, Alaska.

Mister and Lady Day by Novesky, Amy — Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013--700; Int Lvl: K-3 Billie Holiday--also known as Lady Day--had fame, style, a stellar voice, gardenias in her hair, and lots of dogs. She had a coat-pocket poodle, a beagle, Chihuahuas, a Great Dane, and more, but her favorite was a boxer named Mister. Mister was always there to bolster her courage, even at her legendary appearance at New York's Carnegie Hall. Stylish illustrations keep the story focused on the bond between Holiday and her dog.