“Most Lessons Begin with a Book”
As I look back on my forty-three years of teaching, I remember that nearly every new unit of study began with a book. Whether we were exploring Greek mythology, inventors and inventions, famous artists, poetry, famous explorers, habitats, The Chronicles of Narnia, or the wonderful works of Roald Dahl, books always came first.
Books opened the door to discovery. They sparked research, inspired lively classroom discussions, and led to creative group projects. One book might lead to an Invention Convention, another to an entire Greek Week celebration. Our hallways would soon be filled with beautifully illustrated original poetry, and students who had worked together on projects formed lasting friendships. Time and time again, I saw that a good book could become the starting point for knowledge, curiosity, and a genuine love of learning.
Teaching English as a Second Language
One of the most memorable experiences of my career was walking into a classroom of five-year-olds who spoke only German while I spoke only English. At first, the children looked at me with complete confusion as we read stories and sang songs entirely in English.
It was remarkable to watch what happened over the following weeks and months. Slowly, those same children began understanding the language, then speaking it with growing confidence. Before long, they were communicating in beautiful English.
To encourage their progress, I made a small booklet for each child filled with blank pages. They would draw pictures of anything they wished, and I would sit beside them and write the English word for each drawing. As their confidence grew, single words became simple sentences, and soon they were reading them back to me.
By October, those same children were confidently performing songs and fingerplays for their parents.
I give great credit to Dr. Seuss.
Why I Wrote Dogs in Coats
I have always loved numbers and counting. Mathematics came naturally to me, and throughout my teaching career I became convinced that children build confidence in math when they master their addition and multiplication facts early.
I also happen to love dogs of every size and breed. For many years, alongside my teaching career, I worked as a dog sitter. Eventually, those two passions; teaching and dogs; came together in an idea that became Dogs In Coats.
It actually took me four years to gather enough photographs for the book.
One of the highlights of that journey was organizing a professional photo shoot in Elmira, New York. Beforehand, I visited a children’s second-hand clothing shop and purchased a variety of colorful children’s vests. On the day of the photo shoot, dog owners visiting the local dog park were invited to have their dogs photographed for the book. Each owner signed a permission waiver, their dog was fitted with a little vest, and then off they went into the large fenced dog park to run, jump, play, and simply enjoy being dogs.
Our photographer captured wonderful action shots throughout the day. More than sixty dogs participated, and we carefully recorded each dog’s name so every photograph matched the correct furry model.
It was an incredible day and a complete success.
One Final Thought
The wonderful person who helped organize that photo shoot is someone I have known her entire life. Today, she and her husband have a delightful son named Andrew, who was in first grade when Dogs In Coats was published.
I decided to send an entire case of books to Andrew’s class. Inside each one I wrote:
“To Andrew’s first-grade classmates; Keep on Counting!”
A week later, I received one of the greatest surprises of my career. A large manila envelope arrived filled with handwritten thank-you notes and wonderful drawings of dogs from every student in the class. That envelope reminded me why I became a teacher in the first place and why I became a children’s author.
There is no greater reward than knowing a book has brought joy, curiosity, and smiles to young readers.
Published May 1st, 2023
About the Book: Dogs in Coats is a children’s picture book for ages 5–7 by former elementary educator Mary Louise Kelly.
Drawing on more than forty years of classroom experience, Mary combines engaging photographs of dogs with early addition concepts to encourage observation, conversation, confidence, and joyful learning. Rather than treating math as a separate subject, the book invites children to explore numbers through curiosity, storytelling, and the familiar delight of seeing dogs in playful seasonal settings.
Featuring real dog photography, playful seasonal scenes, and interactive addition activities, Dogs In Coats encourages children to build confidence while discovering that learning can be both meaningful and fun.
About the Author: Mary Louise Kelly is a retired elementary educator whose teaching career spans more than forty years across Pennsylvania, Ecuador, and Vienna, Austria.
Throughout her career, she has believed that children learn best when education begins with curiosity, imagination, and meaningful connections to the world around them.
Today, Mary continues sharing that philosophy through her children’s books, school visits, and author presentations, encouraging young readers to discover that learning can be joyful, interactive, and filled with wonder.
Whether she’s visiting classrooms, speaking with young readers, or writing her next book, Mary remains inspired by the same simple belief that guided her throughout her teaching career:
When children are curious, wonderful learning naturally follows.
Learn more at: https://marylouisekellyvienna.net/
Thank you, Mary Louise, for your post!
