When a taxi driver picks up a stray dog, they no longer roam New York City alone in The Adventures of TAXI DOG by Debra and Sal Barracca. Pictures by Mark Buehner show children in a (mostly) happy and busy urban center. Written in rhyme from Maxi's point of view, readers accompany the taxi as it drives uptown and down. Maxi (without a gender identity) meets characters who hail the cab: a singer, a woman about to have a baby, and even clowns. Adults will need to help children with inferences in both the text and illustrations. While this story is a gentle source of background knowledge for young readers unfamiliar with city life, urban students may want to share personal experiences.
This book is read aloud
online by Fox creek
Municipal Library.
The Miacademy Learning
Channel introduces readers to New York City in
"Let's
Take a Journey: New York City, U.S.A. - Beginning Social Studies 2 for
Kids!".
My Picture Book Talk lesson for this story is here.
