*My Town by William Wegman (1998) is much more than just dogs dressed in people clothes. It’s a terrific, well written story. It’s for anyone who faces a deadline. It’s for anyone who must produce an open-ended project and doesn’t know where to start, anyone who’s stared at a blank page or stood before a blank canvas. What to do? The clock is ticking! Where to begin? My favorite thing about this book is how the solution evolves naturally. Chip has a report due tomorrow. He wanders through town talking with members of his community in search of a good idea for a report. Librarian Castleberry puts Chip to sleep with her lengthy description of the library’s resources. Coach Lombardo tells Chip to keep his eye on the ball. As Chip questions a policeman, postman, fireman, and others, he takes pictures. And in the end, his report is finished.
