Independent Reading White 10 - Perfect for children aged 6-8 or reading book band 10.
Losing a family pet can be a child’s first introduction to the concept of death and this gentle, heart-warming tale provides a safe introduction to a tricky topic. Leo and Tessa have been best friends ever since Tessa was a puppy. She wakes him every morning with a lick and he was the first to meet Tessa’s puppies when they were born. Leo was particularly fond of Jasper who was the image of her mum but glad to see that he went off with a kind owner. When Tessa dies peacefully in her sleep the reader can really empathise with Leo’s grief and how much he misses her and then is delighted when it turns out that Jasper needs to find a new home and that Leo is, of course, only too happy to offer one. This is a Reading Champion text carefully levelled for readers working at Book Band White 10 in class and designed to develop their enjoyment in reading independently. At this level readers will be developing inference and predicting skills and in the helpful guidance notes for parents and carers there are suggestions for discussing the plot and key events looking for clues, for example, that indicate that all is not well with Tessa and a picture sorting activity which reinforces story sequencing. This is an immediately relatable and emotionally satisfying story with genuine learning opportunities.
Tessa is a much loved pet dog, but she is getting old. One day, Tessa does not wake up. Jack is devastated, but maybe one of Tessa's puppies will help him get over the loss of his beloved pet.
Elizabeth Dale always dreamed of being a writer but somehow got side-tracked into studying for a physics degree, followed by health service management. When her children were born she finally returned to her dream, writing thousands of short stories for magazines all over the world. Re-discovering a love of children's books while reading to her daughters, she decided to turn her hand to writing them - and has now published over twenty books for children, including picture books and junior fiction. Writing is her full-time job, but also her favourite activity. She also enjoys reading, gardening, walking, and being in the country. Her favourite children's books include Walk Two Moons, The Selfish Giant, Cosmic, and Someone Else's Life. She loves watching cosy sentimental films, such as You've Got Mail, Return to Me, and While You Were Sleeping, as well as classic old films starring Cary Grant, Fred Astaire and Doris Day. Elizabeth is married, with three daughters, and lives in a village in West Sussex. Her daughters, Katie and Jenny, are also children's authors with Hachette.
