How Rocket Learned to Read <small> by Tad Hills </small>

How Rocket Learned to Read is an adorable book that is going to cause strong feelings to well up in teachers everywhere. (Just so you know, I include moms and dads and grands and aunties too in the 'teacher category')

The story appears to be about this cute puppy that learns to read, but in reality it is about teaching and the joy that arises from seeing a youngster fall in love with learning. For you see, while Rocket wants to be just a dog, the little yellow bird won't hear anything of the sort. S/he gleefully exclaims, "Aha! My first student! Wonderful!" And when Rocket responds (or tries to respond) that he's not a student she says: "But if I am your teacher, ...then you must be my student."

The rest of the book goes on to show how Bird slowly reels in Rocket. Finding just the right book to grab his imagination and make him motivated to learn all she has to teach.

THE SKINNY:::

Delightfully twisted logic and joyful spunkiness is sure to amuse both children and adults! I mean who can't fall in love with someone, who when they find out their student can't read, exclaims: "Can't read? Fantastic!... Welcome to my classroom."

Kids will love the sweet artwork.

Adults who love books and learning will love How Rocket Learned to Read even more than kids as we'll no doubt recognize something of someone special in our own past that awakened these loves in us.

Pam
Somewhere in the X-burbs

How Rocket Learned to Read