Tupelo's owners no longer want her. Tupelo is scared and does not know where she will go now. She ends up finding a pack of stray dogs that also have no home anymore. They travel around together with a homeless man who tries to return the dogs to their owners. One by one, each of the dogs find their way back home, except for Tupelo. She ends up getting lost and is alone once again. The man she was traveling with reappears in her life and she realizes she feels at home with him. I like how this story conveys the message that home can be found in the most unexpected places. I think this book could impact students who feel alone or isolated in any way, even if it is not about a home. ( )

A great book about being abandon and feeling like you just don't belong as Tupelo and her sock toy are dumped on the side of the road and not understanding why or what to do now. Tupelo a female dog set on her journey to find a place she can feel loved. During her journey she finds a pack of dogs that all believe that by burring their bones and wishing upon the dog star they will be given a place that they are all searching for to call home. The pack of dogs are lead by a hobo tramp named Garbage Pail Tex, and he leads the dogs to the train to hop a car to their new homes that await them all, with the help of Garbage Pail Tex's homeless friends all the dogs find a new home, but Tupelo and now she wonders if she will ever find someone to love her and make a home. Tupelo hops the train and who should appear but, Garbage Pail Tex, and he tells Tupelo they will have each other and the road will be their home. ( )

Summary: Tupelo and Mr. Bones, her sock toy, are dropped off on the side of the road. In an effort to find somewhere to belong, Tupelo and Mr. Bones set off on a journey through garbage dumps, forests and cities. Along the way, Tupelo asks birds, cats, bunnies, and bats if he can join them, belong with them. No one wanted a scrappy dog and his sock toy to join in. So Tupelo follows his nose and finds a group of dogs called the Boneheads who welcome her into their group. The Boneheads make wishes chanting to Sirius, their exalted star, and buried a bone. Tupelo had no bone to burry so she couldn’t make a wish. Garbage Pail Tex, who feeds them and hurries them onto a train, joins the Boneheads and they travel around on a train and listen to his stories. As the Boneheads travel, each one of them finds a family or group who they where they belong. When the last dog is adopted, except for Tupelo, Tupelo is left alone again even without Garbage Pail Tex. So, Tupelo decides to make a wish – even though she doesn’t have a bone to burry… but, will Tupelo’s wish come true? Will she have someone to belong to?
Teaching Implications: Two concurrent themes that run throughout the book are the need to belong and never giving up. Tupelo is dropped off the side of the road, but instead of giving up, Tupelo says: “Everyone belongs somewhere,” she said to Mr. Bones. ‘We’ll find a place.’ She picked him up and trotted off.” Tupelo Rides the Rails Is also an interactive book where pages fold out to reveal larger beautiful pictures. The pages are split up into different sections displaying multiple pictures on one page. The pictures also include speech and thought bubbles that add to the story. The interactivity of the book could be used to teach design and the multiple ways to present information in writing. Also, because of the depth, each time a reader picks up the book, there is something new to see in the pictures and the words. The first pages of the book displays a timeline of dog history including: Anubius (the revered dog god o the afterlife in Egypt), Lassie, Old Yeller, Snoopy, and many others. This adds to the character of the book and making it more enticing for students of all ages to pick up and read. The back of the book includes a little description of Sirius, the star that the Boneheads sent their wishes. This information adds to the story and allows the reader to understand a little more about the content of the book. ( )

Genre: Fantasy

Art Media: Acrylic paint ( )

This story is so sweet. Tupelo has the childlike and lovable qualities that real dogs in our own lives have. She even has her own stuffed animal/chew toy. The larger pictures are breathtaking with Sweet's deep blue and green hues. COULD BE USED WITH AN ASTRONOMY LESSON ABOU CONSTELLATIONS OR TO TEACH ABOUT THE PROBLEM OF HOMELESS AND ABANDONED PETS.