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Bechtold, Lisze
6 Reviews
(3)
K-3
Green Light Readers series.
This latest entertaining early reader about dog Buster and his pal Phoebe consists of two short stories originally published separately in different Buster books. The first has the two canines digging for bones and sharing the bounty, and the second has the pair thwarting a raccoon and getting sprayed by skunks. The full-color ink and watercolor illustrations are expressive and engaging for beginning readers.
Reviewer: Kari Allen
(3)
K-3
Green Light Readers series.
This book is separated into two chapters: in the first, dog Buster finds and befriends an abandoned kitten; in the second story, Buster introduces Tilly to his friends, and they try, somewhat unsuccessfully, to play. New readers will find this endearing animal story approachable; friendly, loosely rendered illustrations vary in size and layout with each page turn.
Reviewer: Kari Allen
(3)
K-3
Sally the duck is thrilled with her new purple socks until they start to grow. And grow. Sally's flexible, and she turns her socks into, among other things, a hat and scarf, curtains, and a circus tent. Rendered mainly in greens, yellows, and purples, the illustrations reveal a deft comic touch as Sally tries to manage her ever-burgeoning socks.
Reviewer: Carolyn Shute
(2)
K-3
Buster the dog's second book relies on small variations on small situations, a useful structure in a transitional reader. Buster's bones don't seem to "stay" as well as fellow pet (and big-sister stand-in) Phoebe's better trained ones. The thievery (Phoebe distracts Buster and swipes his bones) is left for readers to infer, making the joke better. The illustrations are plentiful and engagingly varied in size to give each turn of the page a fresh start.
Reviewer: Roger Sutton
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 2003
(4)
K-3
Worried that the new cat in town might have an even more magnificent tail than her own, which has always been the fluffiest around, Edna the cat engages in some pre-party primping. Of course, her silliness and vanity backfire. The book has a good beginning, but the story line--and Edna's tail--become ragged. Readers who appreciate slapstick comedy may be amused by Edna's predicament.
Reviewer: Anne St. John
(2)
K-3
These three easy-to-read tales about Buster, the new dog in the house, will provide plenty of resonance for younger readers, not to mention younger siblings. The digest-sized format of the book is pitched toward both picture-book and beginning-reader audiences, and the lively ink-and-watercolor illustrations have a well-drawn goofiness that barks up just the right tree.
Reviewer: Roger Sutton
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
July, 1999
6 reviews
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