I Gotta Draw

K-Gr 2--In a conversational tone, a pup explains his love of art: "I take a fresh piece of paper... I feel a little shiver... Something new is about to happen." But Charlie Muttnik has a hard time finding a place to draw in his family's small Brooklyn apartment and at school Miss Rich frowns upon his homework embellishments. Despite his best efforts, his "report card never makes it to the beginning of the alphabet." The pup's self-confidence and grades soar when Miss Rich tries a different approach and allows him to draw while spelling words out loud and paint while answering social-studies questions. Soon everyone in the class takes part, and their art efforts are placed on display to rave reviews. Degen's charming watercolor and colored-pencil illustrations show animal classmates proudly holding up their masterpieces, from abstract geometric designs to flying fish. Budding artists will relate to Charlie's passion. As in Patricia Polacco's Thank You, Mr. Falker (Philomel, 1998), this story also shows how a sympathetic teacher can nurture creativity.--Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ontario, Canada

Charlie Muttnik is known in his Brooklyn neighborhood as "the pup with the pencil." He's always drawing pictures in his chaotic household, where he lives with his mother, father, and older sister. But when Charlie goes back to school, his strict new teacher, Miss Rich (a smartly dressed cat), doesn't approve of Charlie's doodling in class. Miss Rich has a change of attitude, however, when she realizes that Charlie learns best through his pictures. So during a spelling lesson, Charlie is allowed to draw in the back of the classroom, as long as he spells the words out loud, and for a lesson on the solar system, Charlie draws and labels the planets. Degen, illustrator of the Magic School Bus series, conveys Charlie's spirited nature through his floppy ears, tennis shoes, striped T-shirt, and exuberant concentration as he draws. Comics-style panels mimic Charlie's visual interpretation of the world around him, with his own art integrated into the scenes. Readers who don't conform to a one-size-fits-all style of learning should welcome the message about creativity, classroom flexibility, and breaking the mold. Ages 5-9. (June)