The Great Gracie Chase: Stop That Dog!
Author: Cynthia Rylant; Illustrator: Mark Teague
Gracie is a dog that likes things quiet. She likes cats that nap on the windowsill and goldfish that go ‘bloop’ in their bowls and a house that is calm and serene. So when her owners hire a team of painters with big voices and long clangy ladders, Gracie gets rightfully upset.
But imagine her suprise when she barks her discontent and it’s Gracie who gets put outside!
Indignant, Gracie spots an open gate and decides to break with doggy law and take herself for a walk. The painters come after her and the Great Gracie Chase has begun.
The painters chase Gracie because she is runniing away. Gracie runs away because the painters are chasing her. It’s a classic catch-22 that draws paperboys, delivery drivers, hot dog vendors and all kinds of cats, birds and rabbits into the Chase as Gracie runs clear across town.
Finally, as Gracie barrels along at high speed, her pursuers give up. The paperboy loses a wheel. The painters collapse in exhaustion. Noone can keep up with Gracie. Left alone on a calm and quiet street, Gracie is reminded of her cozy house and turns to go back. And it’s Gracie’s lucky day. The painters can’t come back because they need to rest, leaving Gracie’s house, and her afternoon, just the way she likes them — quiet.
This is a great book.
I don’t just say that because, like Gracie, I treasure peace and quiet (although as a kindergarten teacher I really do).
I don’t just say it because Mark Teague’s pictures are both comical and cute, and ripe with minute details — like a cat sliding to a halt rather than follow Gracie through the park fountain — for kids to find and enjoy.
And lastly, I don’t just say it because Cynthia Rylant has created a story with a loveable character and a plot resolution that kids can easily grasp.
I say it because this book is a pleasure to read-aloud.
The story is told at a perfect pace, with sentences that literally roll off the tongue in expressive fits. Dialog is sparce (a good thing in a read-aloud story (see my article, Five Qualities of a Good Read-Aloud Children’s Book, for more), sentence length is varied, words are expertly chosen and age appropriate. Rylant is a truly skilled storyteller.
Combined, these factors put The Great Gracie Chase: Stop That Dog! at the top of my read-aloud list. It makes several appearances in my classroom throughout the school year, and is always greeted with applause.
Read-Aloud Tips
- Match your reading pace, tone and level of expression to the events in the story. When Gracie is at home in her quiet house, read softly, soothingly. Then when she gets outside and the painters yell, ‘STOP THAT DOG!’ bring the energy level up. As the chase goes on and attracts a crowd of townfolk on Gracie’s tail, read faster, more frantic.
- Reading in this way draws kids immediately into the story, eyes wide, mouths grinning, as events unfold. This sort of involvement is what reading to kindergarten students is all about!
Comprehension Questions
- What does the tag on the dog’s collar say? Now look at the book’s title. What do you think is going to happen in this story?
- Why do you think the people are chasing Gracie?
- Do you think the people are going to catch her?
Post-reading
- Why was Gracie so upset when the painters came?
- On page 18, the cat won’t chase Gracie through the water fountain. Why?
- Why did Gracie finally decide to go home?
- Do you think the people were mad at Gracie? Why did they want to catch her?
Literacy Activities
Writing
- If you were in The Great Gracie Chase, do you think you would have been able to catch Gracie? How? Draw a picture and write a sentence describing how you would catch her.
Phonemic Awareness
- Rhyme-a-Long: Have your child select their favorite page in the book. Identify something in the picture on that page and have your child come up with words that rhyme with that thing.
For example, they might pick ‘Gracie Rose’ and come up with the words, ‘nose, hose, doze, goes, rows, shows.’ No need to write it down. Just yell out the rhymes and move on to a new picture!
Phonics
- D Sound: Dog is probably the number one key letter sound word for the letter D. Use your children’s interest in Gracie to their advantage.
Draw a picture of a dog on a piece of paper (or just print mine) then help your child find things that start with the same sound as d-o-g. They can cut pictures out of magazines and newspapers, or draw pictures of their own to put on the dog! - GR Blend: For students who already know most of their letter sounds, this book makes a great way to introduce the GR letter-sound blend.
Invite your child to say or read the books title. Then tell them to do it in a ‘dog’s voice.’ Demonstrate by using a growl in your voice. ‘The Grrr-eat Grrr-acie Chase!’ Show them how the words ‘great; and ‘Gracie’ both start with the same two letters, ‘gr.’
Now see how many other ‘grrr’ words you and your child can come up with (grass, growl, green, grownup). Make a list with pictures, emphasizing the fact that each one starts with the same two letters.
Fun
- Act it out! Decide who will be Gracie Rose and who will be the painters. Play a game of tag called The Great Gracie Chase! If the painters catch Gracie, switch rolls. This can work for any number of children, although I would limit the number of painters to keep things fair.
When you’re finished playing, lay down for a nice, quiet rest — Gracie style!
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