Spike in the City

Author/Illustrator: Paulette Bogan

Genre: Fantasy- Audio Book

Grade level: K-3

Shannon took Spike to his first big trip to the city. He adventured through the city, got all muddy and gross, met some not very nice dogs, and other horrible things. He did not like his trip in the city. He liked the park where he could play but soon after he ran into trouble with other dogs and lost his owner. Eventually he finds Shannon and she is so happy to see him and he is so happy to see her. They ride off in a taxi together most likely back to where they came from.

This book is good to use in the classroom because it is an audio book. The author is the one who is reading it and she gives special behind the scenes details and guides the reading smoothly. She also provides activities and word games to go along with the book. This would be a good book to teach about the differences from a rural and an urban place.

The illustrations are very humorous and fun. They are colorful and don't quite take up the entire page.  There is a border around the pictures. The words are written on the bottom of the page in the white space. The characters are very fun and exhibit great expressions that really portray the mood theyre in.