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Rocket Writes a Story

Part of Rocket

Author Tad Hills
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Inspire a lifelong love of reading with an irresistible dog named Rocket and his teacher, a little yellow bird in this sequel to the New York Times bestselling picture book, How Rocket Learned to Read.

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY School Library JournalPublishers Weekly

"A perfect choice to inspire new readers and writers." Kirkus Reviews, starred review


Rocket loves books and he wants to make his own, but he can't think of a story. Encouraged by the little yellow bird to look closely at the world around him for inspiration, Rocket sets out on a journey. Along the way he discovers small details that he has never noticed before, a timid baby owl who becomes his friend, and an idea for a story.

Tad Hills, the creator of the beloved Duck & Goose series delivers another heartwarming story, making this a favorite for story time. 

Don’t miss the animated movie based on the bestselling Rocket books—coming soon to PBS!
Tad Hills is the #1 New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of the Rocket and Duck & Goose series, including the New York Times bestselling picture books How Rocket Learned to Read; Rocket Writes a Story; R Is for Rocket; Duck & Goose; Duck, Duck, Goose; Duck & Goose Go to the Beach; and Duck & Goose, Honk! Quack! Boo! He also created various board books in these series, including Rocket’s Mighty Words; Duck & Goose Find a Pumpkin; the ALA-ALSC Notable Children’s Book What’s Up, Duck?: A Book of Opposites; Duck & Goose: Here Comes the Easter Bunny!; and several Step Into Reading titles, including Drop It, Rocket! and Rocket’s 100th Day of School.
 
The Boston Globe declared Hills’s work “charming, funny, simple, and surprising” and dubbed him “a master of the light comic touch.”
 
Tad lives in Brooklyn, New York, with his wife, two children, and his real-life dog, Rocket, who has not yet learned to read.
 
Visit Tad online at tadhills.com, and follow him on Twitter at @tadhills. View titles by Tad Hills

Educator Guide for Rocket Writes a Story

Classroom-based guides appropriate for schools and colleges provide pre-reading and classroom activities, discussion questions connected to the curriculum, further reading, and resources.

(Please note: the guide displayed here is the most recently uploaded version; while unlikely, any page citation discrepancies between the guide and book is likely due to pagination differences between a book’s different formats.)

  • WINNER | 2013
    IRA Teachers' Choices
  • WINNER | 2012
    Barnes & Noble Best Book of the Year
  • WINNER | 2012
    Amazon Best of the Year
  • NOMINEE
    Arizona Young Readers Award
  • NOMINEE | 2014
    Colorado Children's Book Award
  • FINALIST | 2012
    Kid's Indie Next List "Inspired Recommendations for Kids from Indie Booksellers"
School Library Journal Best of Children's Books 2012

Starred Review
, Kirkus Reviews, March 15, 2012:
"A perfect choice to inspire new readers and writers."

Starred Review, Publishers Weekly, May 14, 2012:
“Hills is adept at showing Rocket’s setbacks and successes while offering excellent tips for children following in the dog’s footsteps…Hills gently demonstrates the power of stories to build bridges.”

Starred Review, School Library Journal, July 2012:
“Listeners, readers, and aspiring writers will appreciate the excellent description of the many ways that stories unfold.”

Kids' Indie Next List, Summer 2012

About

Inspire a lifelong love of reading with an irresistible dog named Rocket and his teacher, a little yellow bird in this sequel to the New York Times bestselling picture book, How Rocket Learned to Read.

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY School Library JournalPublishers Weekly

"A perfect choice to inspire new readers and writers." Kirkus Reviews, starred review


Rocket loves books and he wants to make his own, but he can't think of a story. Encouraged by the little yellow bird to look closely at the world around him for inspiration, Rocket sets out on a journey. Along the way he discovers small details that he has never noticed before, a timid baby owl who becomes his friend, and an idea for a story.

Tad Hills, the creator of the beloved Duck & Goose series delivers another heartwarming story, making this a favorite for story time. 

Don’t miss the animated movie based on the bestselling Rocket books—coming soon to PBS!

Author

Tad Hills is the #1 New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of the Rocket and Duck & Goose series, including the New York Times bestselling picture books How Rocket Learned to Read; Rocket Writes a Story; R Is for Rocket; Duck & Goose; Duck, Duck, Goose; Duck & Goose Go to the Beach; and Duck & Goose, Honk! Quack! Boo! He also created various board books in these series, including Rocket’s Mighty Words; Duck & Goose Find a Pumpkin; the ALA-ALSC Notable Children’s Book What’s Up, Duck?: A Book of Opposites; Duck & Goose: Here Comes the Easter Bunny!; and several Step Into Reading titles, including Drop It, Rocket! and Rocket’s 100th Day of School.
 
The Boston Globe declared Hills’s work “charming, funny, simple, and surprising” and dubbed him “a master of the light comic touch.”
 
Tad lives in Brooklyn, New York, with his wife, two children, and his real-life dog, Rocket, who has not yet learned to read.
 
Visit Tad online at tadhills.com, and follow him on Twitter at @tadhills. View titles by Tad Hills

Guides

Educator Guide for Rocket Writes a Story

Classroom-based guides appropriate for schools and colleges provide pre-reading and classroom activities, discussion questions connected to the curriculum, further reading, and resources.

(Please note: the guide displayed here is the most recently uploaded version; while unlikely, any page citation discrepancies between the guide and book is likely due to pagination differences between a book’s different formats.)

Awards

  • WINNER | 2013
    IRA Teachers' Choices
  • WINNER | 2012
    Barnes & Noble Best Book of the Year
  • WINNER | 2012
    Amazon Best of the Year
  • NOMINEE
    Arizona Young Readers Award
  • NOMINEE | 2014
    Colorado Children's Book Award
  • FINALIST | 2012
    Kid's Indie Next List "Inspired Recommendations for Kids from Indie Booksellers"

Praise

School Library Journal Best of Children's Books 2012

Starred Review
, Kirkus Reviews, March 15, 2012:
"A perfect choice to inspire new readers and writers."

Starred Review, Publishers Weekly, May 14, 2012:
“Hills is adept at showing Rocket’s setbacks and successes while offering excellent tips for children following in the dog’s footsteps…Hills gently demonstrates the power of stories to build bridges.”

Starred Review, School Library Journal, July 2012:
“Listeners, readers, and aspiring writers will appreciate the excellent description of the many ways that stories unfold.”

Kids' Indie Next List, Summer 2012

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