Sam Goes to School

Carol L. MacKay is a children’s librarian living in Bawlf, Alberta.

Sam is an impulsive, adventure-loving sheepdog puppy. In Sam Gets Lost,
he is lured from his owner’s car by the excitement of a busy downtown
street. Sam doesn’t consider himself lost when his owners are nowhere
to be found. He thinks they are the ones who have gotten lost and sets
out to find them. In Sam Goes to School, a bored Sam sneaks onto a
school bus and is discovered by a young boy and girl, who smuggle him
into Miss Min’s class. There, he learns that school is a fun place to
be.

As entries in the Kids Can Read series, both stories are written for
Level 1 readers who are just beginning to read simple sentences. The
sentence lengths vary from three to 11 words, with most in the three- to
five-words-per-sentence range. The lengthier ones are divided into
manageable portions, usually three or four lines per page. Labatt’s
use of repetition and sight words helps to boost reading confidence, and
Sarrazin’s charming illustrations provide plenty of visual hints to
the content of the text. The words are presented against a white
background, making it easier for young readers to focus on them. The
cover art for both titles, which prominently features the
ever-mischievous Sam, is especially attractive. Recommended.