I Want a Dog: My Opinion Essay

By Darcy Pattison, illustrated by Ewa O'Neill

Hurrah for essays! All writing lessons should be this much fun.

When cousins Dennis and Mellie decide to get a dog, they consider carefully what breed would be best for each family. For example, Dennis wants a big dog, but Mellie wants tiny. He has no other pets, but she has other pets that a dog must get along with. They consider different dog personalities, family situations, and personal preferences. Dennis writes an opinion essay for his teacher, Mrs. Shirky. But will his essay convince his parents to get the dog of his dreams?

This story takes a popular subject - kids getting a pet - and adds dogs of all sizes and shapes: all writing lessons should be this much fun. In the end, it's cousins and the dogs that keep a listener resisting pause. What kind of dog will Dennis choose? Will Mellie want the same kind of dog?

This story hits many notes:

• A family story about cousins, Dennis and Mellie
• Information on dog breeds
• Responsible dog ownership
• Mentor text for teaching writing
• Model opinion essay for elementary students
• Models the writing process, especially the importance of pre-writing or planning before you write
• Completes the writing process by showing the results of Dennis's essay

I Want a Dog almost makes opinion essays look too easy. For STEM classes, a good study of dog species.

See other books in The Read and Write series

• I Want a Cat: My Opinion Essay
• My Crazy Dog: My Narrative Essay (forthcoming)