When You Hit A Rough Patch

A rough patch. We’ve all had them and could probably tell so many sad stories around them. Most of the time, I kinda like to forget mine. Or maybe just not think of them so much. That is, until I wandered into my favourite book store in late August. When I am there, I am all kinds of happy. The kids’ books that they feature and display are beyond WONDERFUL. You can find me there most of the time, huddled in a corner, books strewn around me, complete in my bubble of words and illustrations.

This particular day, after an hour or so, I had a nice stack and was heading to the front. But then, I hit a Rough Patch and I haven’t been the same since.

This story just spoke to me. It spoke to me before I even looked inside. I had no idea what lay ahead, I just knew that whatever it was, I would love it. It is the perfect example of illustrations and text working together in this co-dependent way that makes for the best story telling. The illustrations have an allure to them that made me feel like I lived inside that book. And the story? Well, let’s just say, I don’t look at my rough patches in quite the same way anymore.

I would never want to spoil it for you, so I’ll give you the highlights only.

It is the story of a fox named Evan and his devoted companion, his pet dog. Theirs is simply a sincere and very natural relationship built on the greatest thing of all – TRUE LOVE. We can all relate to this. If you have this kind of relationship with your dog, you’ll need an extra box of kleenex during the adventure. They have an unspoken sense of giving between them, and it shows itself in the very simple things in life – gardening, hanging out, playing, sharing and all the good stuff.

In a nutshell, they are the best of friends.

As you are reading and taking in this story of friendship, you truly feel it. The pictures alone tell their own story and the text is the cherry on top. But, like all great stories, this one turns a corner and the author  says it best – the unthinkable happens. What comes next? You truly need to read it for yourself. One thing is perfectly clear, it shows us all, adults and children alike, that it’s OK to not be OK sometimes.

As a classroom teacher, I could take this story in so many directions, however, it worked best for me to help us practice our reading strategies. We clutched our imaginary crystal balls and made the best predictions ever. As the story begins, it is picture perfect, yet the title is The Rough Patch. Why do you think it’s called that and what might happen from here? The Rough Patch is so relatable for kids, it just leads into connections. It’s hard not to make them. So, from predicting we moved onto connecting. And all that added to our understanding of the story. You can click on any of the pics below to use the printables in your classroom.

Reading strategies or not, this is a story that can simply be enjoyed for the story’s sake. The Rough Patch now rests on my shelf of honour.