Dash

Why did Kirby Larson title the book Dash? What does her decision say about the importance of the dog and his impact on Mitsi on the people around her? As Dash is a symbol, what does the title represent?

Larson also titles her chapters. Thus, Chapter 4 is “Bad News on the Telephone Pole,” while Chapter 14 is “Stealing Home.” How do the chapter titles foreshadow what will happen in the chapter? How do they inject the bleak story with humor? What’s ironic (or unexpected) about many of the chapter titles?

Books symbolize guidance, and Larson includes a bevy of books in Mitsi’s story. Read one of the books—like Caddie Woodlawn or Thimble Summer—and explain its relationship to Mitsi and what Mitsi, or a person in her situation, can take from it.