Sharon Creech is one of those writers that you always want to meet. She has a true appreciation for what children and young people want to read. So, when TASIS The American School in England was gifted Sharon Creech’s New York Times Bestseller “Love That Dog” in ten different languages, it was a dream come true for many members of our TASIS community – including a group of Lower School students who recognised their own languages on the iconic yellow cover of “Love That Dog”. It felt as though Sharon was back at TASIS – the international school where the Newbery award winner was a teacher of high school English and Writing quite a few years ago now. In fact, Sharon taught at both TASIS Switzerland and TASIS England international schools.
Yes, Creech was back. It wasn’t long before there was a buzz in the library over a new collection in the multilingual section. In fact, Grade 4 students are exploring Creech’s work and others are reading many of her other works in celebration of World Book Day on March 5.
The Book
“Love That Dog” is about Jack. Jack finds his voice with the help of a teacher, a pencil, yellow paper, and a dog. What better book to share with students who may not have English as a first language? Through various programs at TASIS England such as English-as-an-Additional Language (EAL) and Language Ambassadorship, students learn to celebrate –instead of hiding– their language. Having books like “Love That Dog” in other languages is indicative of the community’s commitment to intercultural learning.
Sharon Creech is part of the living history of TASIS England. She was the first American winner of Britain’s Carnegie Medal for children’s literature and the first writer to win both the American Newbery Medal and the Carnegie. Two novels with a TASIS connection include Bloomability and The Unfinished Angel and another novel, Pleasing the Ghost was dedicated to “the TASIS Lower School’s young authors.” An additional seventeen books by Sharon Creech, which have been published in more than twenty different languages, can be found in the Sharon Creech collection at TASIS England.
So, how do you say “Love That Dog” in 10 different languages? TASIS Lower School students can probably tell you. Sharon Creech the author (and educator) continues to influence and delight children and adults today.
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