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Blue Daisy
Sam and Katie find a stray dog and make a big mistake, but it's hard to make amends--how can you apologize to a dog?
A dirty, skinny, dog shows up in Sam and Katie's neighborhood. They start to follow it, and they don't like what they see: The Wilson sisters yell at it because it goes in their garden and the Tracy twins chase it on their bikes and throw things at it.
Sam and Katie want the dog to know they'll be its friends. They think it should have a name. Most of all, they want it to like them. But then they do something thoughtless, and after that, it's hard to make things right, especially because the dog now won't come near them.
A dirty, skinny, dog shows up in Sam and Katie's neighborhood. They start to follow it, and they don't like what they see: The Wilson sisters yell at it because it goes in their garden and the Tracy twins chase it on their bikes and throw things at it.
Sam and Katie want the dog to know they'll be its friends. They think it should have a name. Most of all, they want it to like them. But then they do something thoughtless, and after that, it's hard to make things right, especially because the dog now won't come near them.
96 pages, Hardcover
First published March 17, 2020
3 people are currently reading
58 people want to read
About the author
Helen Frost
193 books225 followersI'm dipping my toes into goodreads to see how it works. Thanks for finding me here, and thanks to everyone who has read and written about my books. I love to know you're there, even if I don't come here too often to say so.
Helen Frost is the author of eleven novels-in-poems and seven picture books for children and young adults. She lives in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/helenf...
Helen Frost is the author of eleven novels-in-poems and seven picture books for children and young adults. She lives in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/helenf...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
October 25, 2019
Are any of us above committing an act that is seemingly harmless but still less than kind? And how do we reconcile and remedy the moment that we act impulsively. . .thoughtlessly. . .before and/or against another person? Or creature?
In a mix of poetry (Sam tells his story in enjambed verse) and prose (Katie renders her parts of he story in prose), Hoosier treasure, Helen Frost presents with a new book releasing in March of 2020 with social and psychological and spiritual themes ready-written for the 7-10 year old reader set.
When Katie and Sam come upon a dirty dog that looks to be stray, the follow the dog and soon find themselves advocating for and protecting the dog against would-be abusers and tormentors in the neighborhood where the dog is running about.
But, when the dog decides to settle in Katie's backyard, an impulsive act sets the course for the question, "Are we, in a moment, capable of our own brand of unintentional cruelty?"
No spoilers here, but this act creates even more awareness of this on-the-run by the whole of the neighborhood and even earns our hero a name (and a title for the book).
Both Frost's poetry and prose will be accessible to younger readers and at just over eighty pages, here is a new book for the newly-realized independent reader. Themes of awareness and guilt and shame as well as realization and reconciliation present clearly within the book. Even adults who are all-at-once harsh demonstrate the ability to make apology. BLUE DAISY offers the younger reader a look at how one finds and regains a trust that has been thought to have been lost (and aren't dog characters perfectly-suited to offer these glimpses?).
The book while shorter in page count separates into three parts with an epilogue to the story offering classroom teachers a means by which to track progress with younger readers and to introduce book elements.
Rob Shepperson's illustrations do a nice job of anchoring Frost's text in providing a vision for the verse and pictures for the prose. Whole-page illustrations will carry younger readers through the story (which. . .no spoilers. . .but I know I have friends who are pensive about any book with a dog on the cover).
BLUE DAISY invites exploration of student writing in a mix of poetry and prose as a means of creating narrative. Frost's employment of enjambed lines helps to stretch the younger reader's definition of poetry and what it looks like on the page. An adult guiding the reading might help to read a page or two of Sam's narrative in order to demonstrate internal rhyme schemes that may look different to the younger reader than what they might be poetically accustomed.
Part Kate DiCamillo's BECAUSE OF WINN DIXIE and part Eleanor Estes's THE HUNDRED DRESSES and part Jacqueline Woodson's EACH KINDNESS, young readers will have an opportunity to explore issues of animal advocacy and community relations with same-aged peers and those who are older in the community.
The back matter of the book offers two recipes for young readers to try (with an adult's help, of course).
In a mix of poetry (Sam tells his story in enjambed verse) and prose (Katie renders her parts of he story in prose), Hoosier treasure, Helen Frost presents with a new book releasing in March of 2020 with social and psychological and spiritual themes ready-written for the 7-10 year old reader set.
When Katie and Sam come upon a dirty dog that looks to be stray, the follow the dog and soon find themselves advocating for and protecting the dog against would-be abusers and tormentors in the neighborhood where the dog is running about.
But, when the dog decides to settle in Katie's backyard, an impulsive act sets the course for the question, "Are we, in a moment, capable of our own brand of unintentional cruelty?"
No spoilers here, but this act creates even more awareness of this on-the-run by the whole of the neighborhood and even earns our hero a name (and a title for the book).
Both Frost's poetry and prose will be accessible to younger readers and at just over eighty pages, here is a new book for the newly-realized independent reader. Themes of awareness and guilt and shame as well as realization and reconciliation present clearly within the book. Even adults who are all-at-once harsh demonstrate the ability to make apology. BLUE DAISY offers the younger reader a look at how one finds and regains a trust that has been thought to have been lost (and aren't dog characters perfectly-suited to offer these glimpses?).
The book while shorter in page count separates into three parts with an epilogue to the story offering classroom teachers a means by which to track progress with younger readers and to introduce book elements.
Rob Shepperson's illustrations do a nice job of anchoring Frost's text in providing a vision for the verse and pictures for the prose. Whole-page illustrations will carry younger readers through the story (which. . .no spoilers. . .but I know I have friends who are pensive about any book with a dog on the cover).
BLUE DAISY invites exploration of student writing in a mix of poetry and prose as a means of creating narrative. Frost's employment of enjambed lines helps to stretch the younger reader's definition of poetry and what it looks like on the page. An adult guiding the reading might help to read a page or two of Sam's narrative in order to demonstrate internal rhyme schemes that may look different to the younger reader than what they might be poetically accustomed.
Part Kate DiCamillo's BECAUSE OF WINN DIXIE and part Eleanor Estes's THE HUNDRED DRESSES and part Jacqueline Woodson's EACH KINDNESS, young readers will have an opportunity to explore issues of animal advocacy and community relations with same-aged peers and those who are older in the community.
The back matter of the book offers two recipes for young readers to try (with an adult's help, of course).
January 10, 2020
A charming and straightforward story about a stray dog and its gradual presence in Sam and Katie's neighborhood. They learn about the nature of trust, betraying it, earning it, finding how acts of simple kindness might change a number of lives, not just that of Blue Daisy. It's told in a simple, easy way, with Sam and Katie in different fonts, and even brief narratives from the dog's point of view. The illustrations (B&W) are straightforward and add to the story, and there are subplots about the nature of impatience and snickerdoodles. Highly recommend for kids -- and their families.
Read in advance copy from Amazon Vine.
Read in advance copy from Amazon Vine.
Did Not Finish
October 3, 2020I'm not going to rate this book because I DNF at page 41 when I came across the word "impatience" instead of "impatients" for the fourth time. This plus the use of italics instead of quotation marks for dialog was making my eye twitch. It's probably cute enough for the intended audience, but there are so many fantastically written elementary books out there that I didn't want to waste another minute of my time on this one.
October 17, 2019
Read ARC: Everyone in this story was pretty terrible, but the dog was great.
June 23, 2020
Told by two narrators. Sam's part of the narrative are told in poetry; Katie's are told in prose. They befriend a stray dog but make a decision to paint the dog's back. Fortunately, the dog is not harmed but it no longer trusts them. They interact with two kids they feel are the mean kids in the neighborhood but the dog goes with them.
Several messages for readers to think about - looking at ourselves and who we are; reaching out to connect with others; caring for animals.
Several messages for readers to think about - looking at ourselves and who we are; reaching out to connect with others; caring for animals.
September 20, 2021
Told in two alternating voices (poetry from Sam, prose from Katie), BLUE DAISY takes the ever-appealing plot line of kids falling in love with a stray dog and deepens and enriches it into a beautiful story of broken trust and hard-earned redemption. It's so easy to do some tempting misdeed like dipping a brush into irresistibly blue paint and decorating a sleeping dog- and so hard to face the consequences. It's so easy to characterize other people as "mean" and to see oneself as "nice" - and so hard to understand how others can reverse this assessment. And it's so easy to be jealous and proprietary in love - and so hard to learn that love is meant to be shared. In BLUE DAISY, Helen Frost provides piercing insights into the complexity of Sam and Katie's emotions with as much compassion for her characters as they learn to have for one another. I'm so grateful I had the chance to read - and re-read - this book.
January 5, 2020
I received an ARC of this book.
Told in alternating pieces of prose and poetry, Blue Daisy is a quick book for 7-10 year olds with a lot of possibilities for classroom use. Sam and Katie have always considered themselves the “nice” kids but are soon faced with the repercussions of a poor decision involving the neighborhood stray dog. Teachers will have a lot of fodder for character education discussions around making choices, taking responsibility for ones’ actions, and judging people unfairly. From a writing mentor text position, this book will lend itself to lessons surrounding poetry vs. prose. It would be a great novel to add to a collection of novels in poetry form. It definitely has a place in my third grade classroom library.
Told in alternating pieces of prose and poetry, Blue Daisy is a quick book for 7-10 year olds with a lot of possibilities for classroom use. Sam and Katie have always considered themselves the “nice” kids but are soon faced with the repercussions of a poor decision involving the neighborhood stray dog. Teachers will have a lot of fodder for character education discussions around making choices, taking responsibility for ones’ actions, and judging people unfairly. From a writing mentor text position, this book will lend itself to lessons surrounding poetry vs. prose. It would be a great novel to add to a collection of novels in poetry form. It definitely has a place in my third grade classroom library.
March 23, 2020
Blue Daisy was released just in time to arrive during our COVID-19 kindergarten "homeschool" experience, so we took full advantage!
MOM: I really liked this book. It has a similar nostalgic feel to that I've always loved in Richard Peck's books (favorites of mine). It was perfect for my 6yo to enjoy, and he picked it over other readalouds until we finished. We love dogs (we're animal people), so the story of a homeless dog really appealed to us. The sense of community in the town in the story was very appealing right now as well, and is an important concept for kids. I also really loved the themes of forgiveness and and friendship, especially boy/girl friendship (my son's bff is a also girl). As always, the explanation of the poetry style used (in this case poetry and prose) was great, and we can't wait to try the recipes! A great choice for reading aloud to early readers and one they can revisit independently in a couple of years.
REID: I liked everything about this book! The funniest part was when they used cookies from the trash as dog treats!
MOM: I really liked this book. It has a similar nostalgic feel to that I've always loved in Richard Peck's books (favorites of mine). It was perfect for my 6yo to enjoy, and he picked it over other readalouds until we finished. We love dogs (we're animal people), so the story of a homeless dog really appealed to us. The sense of community in the town in the story was very appealing right now as well, and is an important concept for kids. I also really loved the themes of forgiveness and and friendship, especially boy/girl friendship (my son's bff is a also girl). As always, the explanation of the poetry style used (in this case poetry and prose) was great, and we can't wait to try the recipes! A great choice for reading aloud to early readers and one they can revisit independently in a couple of years.
REID: I liked everything about this book! The funniest part was when they used cookies from the trash as dog treats!
September 9, 2020
This is a quiet story about what makes someone a good person.
A stray dog pits two pairs of kids against each other for her attention; the main characters are sure the other two, twins, are the meanest kids in the world. But then Sam and Katie sort of accidentally (but not really) paint a flower on the dog's back. Although the flower get her some positive attention--and her name--and they try to wash it off, making her cleaner, they realize it was mean. Then all the kids band together in trying to find/help her. So expectations are bent.
Not sure Frost's technique of writing Sam's story in three line-stanzas, with the last words of the first and third lines rhyming, really adds much or works. Didn't really notice the rhymes, and the breaks were a little annoying.
A stray dog pits two pairs of kids against each other for her attention; the main characters are sure the other two, twins, are the meanest kids in the world. But then Sam and Katie sort of accidentally (but not really) paint a flower on the dog's back. Although the flower get her some positive attention--and her name--and they try to wash it off, making her cleaner, they realize it was mean. Then all the kids band together in trying to find/help her. So expectations are bent.
Not sure Frost's technique of writing Sam's story in three line-stanzas, with the last words of the first and third lines rhyming, really adds much or works. Didn't really notice the rhymes, and the breaks were a little annoying.
October 28, 2019
Best friends Katie and Sam aren’t the only ones who take notice of a sad, skinny dog’s arrival in the neighborhood. For awhile, it’s a mystery how a blue daisy comes to be on the stray dog’s back but it gives everyone a name to call her. This heartwarming story told in poetry and prose shows how one special dog teaches Katie, Sam and others about trust, sharing and friendship. Blue Daisy is lucky and so is everyone else who comes to care about her. A wonderful read with lively illustrations by Rob Shepperson throughout and recipes for snickerdoodles and dog biscuits at the end of the story. I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
January 29, 2020
Two friends impulsively paint a blue daisy on the fur of a stray puppy they are trying to befriend, losing the puppy's trust. The story is told in the two voices of the children, one in prose and one in verse. Frost's wonderful little book deals with big concepts of trust, forgiveness, making an unkind mistake, and judging others in a way in which children will relate to and understand while enjoying this story.
Frost's note in the back explains the narrative form in simple terms. A wonderful book to use in a classroom or for a child to explore on his or her own.
Frost's note in the back explains the narrative form in simple terms. A wonderful book to use in a classroom or for a child to explore on his or her own.
April 20, 2020
There's a stray dog running around the neighborhood and best friends Sam and Katie are worried for her. But, in a moment of impulse, they paint a blue flower on the dog's back, inspiring a name-- Blue Daisy. Sam and Katie want to help the dog, but she doesn't trust them anymore, preferring the company of the meanest kids in town, the Tracy twins. Sam and Katie have to admit to themselves that in this instance, they were the mean ones. Told in alternating prose and poetry, this is a sweet (and short) story for younger readers about rethinking assumptions and how a stray dog finds a home.
November 28, 2019
Extremely fun to read! I received the book from Helen Frost herself and it made reading the book so much better! Thanks to her, I have read this, and thanks to the story, my time was well spent. Definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a nice and quick book to read. The story was very well elaborated, and the meaning behind it is extremely sweet. This book has taught me important lessons, and that is rare for books to have in this day. Amazing time reading this!
March 4, 2020
The most interesting thing about this book was that one narrator’s voice was in prose and the other’s in free verse. I was horrified that painting the dog was almost glorified in this story. This book barely advocates for the well-being of an animal except through soft-voiced adults who leave it at that.
May 9, 2020
A mix of voices, alternating poetry/prose, and some reflective insights allow the narrative to explore false assumptions, impulsivity, expectations, and budding friendships within the story of a stray dog.
There are plenty of ways in which deep themes can be discussed, making this a strong choice as a classroom read-aloud to open discussions about choices and consequences.
There are plenty of ways in which deep themes can be discussed, making this a strong choice as a classroom read-aloud to open discussions about choices and consequences.
June 8, 2020
Blue Daisy by Helen Frost is a heartwarming, gentle story alternately told from the perspective of Sam (in poems) and Katie (in prose). It’s a story about pre-judging, losing trust, working to build trust again, apologizing and friendship. Terrific moral to the story and engaging illustrations will keep the young elementary reader engaged.
July 23, 2020
A sweet, simple story with some neighborhood dynamics revealed through reactions to stray dog Blue Daisy. I liked the alternating voices and styles. The author's note explaining about poetry at the end is good but could have included information about pet adoption at the end, or a different conclusion to the story reflecting responsibilities of caring for four legged family.
August 16, 2020
I enjoyed this book, as I have all of Frost’s books that I’ve read so far; however, I recognized early on that this one was too young for my middle school students. The story is a bit too cute, the illustrations a little too saccharine, and the separation of poetry and prose more of an elementary concept. The execution was well done.
August 18, 2020
A small stray dog is hanging around Sam and Katie's neighborhood. They try to befriend her - and it's working - that is, until they put blue paint on her back and tail.... Now the little dog doesn't trust them. Sam and Katie feel terrible. With the help of some other neighborhood kids, can they encourage her to give them another chance? A super quick read, but dog lovers will certainly enjoy.
October 14, 2022
Sam and Katie find a stray dog and impulsively paint a blue flower on it. This dog is suddenly befriended by everyone in town, even Sam and Kaite’s arch enemies. Blue Daisy by Helen Frost a wonderful story about community, written in alternating chapters of prose and poetry. For children ages 7 - 10.
January 16, 2024
Blue Daisy: three stars. Frost is writing for a slightly younger audience than usual here, exploring forgiveness and demonstrating an interesting way to depict kids who know they're doing something wrong. Mix of prose and verse, with both voices decent but not quite as lovely as I've come to expect from Frost. Decent illustrations.
May 17, 2020
Perfect for a second or third grad student seeking a book that has a solid plot, nothing scary, is quick (short) and feels like a big-kid book. Loved the alternating points of view, use of verse and resolution.
November 20, 2020
This book is so obnoxious!! WHY use italics instead of quotation marks??? WHY put spaces between 3 lines of text?! The stylistic choices were awful and this editor needs a new job. On top of that the story was just meh.
October 21, 2019
Hi
I enjoyed this book! It gives the point-of-view of three characters: Sam, Katie, and that dog. I will be ordering a copy for my library. <3
I enjoyed this book! It gives the point-of-view of three characters: Sam, Katie, and that dog. I will be ordering a copy for my library. <3
January 20, 2020
This short book packs a punch! It is difficult to find books under 100 pages for younger middle grade students to discuss- and this one fits the bill.
March 24, 2020
Sweet story; love the blend of prose and verse fiction
Read
April 9, 2020Dog story I read aloud to the kids a few months ago in the car. Pretty good!
July 3, 2020
6/2020 ~ So much to talk about in this book.
October 1, 2020
Not the hugest fan of anyone in the story except that cute pup.
October 6, 2020
Daisy- not a lot of content, but okay book. Wouldn’t read again.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews