George and Martha Encore by James Marshall

I also thought that the use of dialogue showed the quality more-so than quantity. This book would be considered more qualitative, because there are less words on each page, but they are more difficult. I would ask them to retell each short story (which consists of four) and if they are able to do that I will know they understand dialogue. If I were to ask students about this story after they read it independently, I would ask them to focus on the dialogue. The genre of the book is nonfiction and focuses on speaking animals. The book looks as if it would be for beginning readers, but the difficulty of some words, phrases, and the use of dialogue makes it better for older children who are transitioning readers. There are not many words on each page, pictures are on each page, and a lot of dialogue is used. It does not look like a 'chapter book' making it more likely to be ignored by transitional readers. I thought that this story would be appealing to young readers, but not as much as other books would be. With only two minute dots for eyes, his illustrated characters are able to express a wide range of emotion, and produce howls of laughter from both children and adults. James Marshall had the uncanny ability to elicit wild delight from readers with relatively little text and simple drawings. He is well-known for his Fox series (which he wrote as 'Edward Marshall'), as well as the Miss Nelson books, the Stupids, the Cut-ups, and many more. In addition to George and Martha, the lovable hippopotami, James Marshall created dozens of other uniquely appealing characters. In 1998, George and Martha became the basis of an eponymous animated children's television show. Marshall continued as a children's author until his untimely death in 1992 of a brain tumor. His mother was watching Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, and the main characters, George and Martha, ultimately became characters in one of his children's books. It is said that he discovered his vocation on a 1971 summer afternoon, lying on a hammock drawing. He returned to Texas, where he attended San Antonio College, and later transferred to Southern Connecticut State University where he received degrees in French and history.

I knew I would die if I stayed there so I diligently studied the viola, and eventually won a scholarship to the New England Conservatory in Boston.' He entered the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, but injured his hand, ending his music career. Marshall said: 'Beaumont is deep south and swampy and I hated it.

His family later moved to Beaumont, Texas. His father worked on the railroad, was a band member in the 1930s, and his mother sang in the local church choir. James Edward Marshall (Octo– October 13, 1992), who also wrote as Edward Marshall, was a children's author and illustrator.

George and Martha Encore by James Marshall