Buster: The Very Shy Dog [Hardcover]

Lisze Bechtold (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up

Buster is not a small dog, but he feels like a small dog. He feels small at crowded birthday parties. He feels small when he tries to catch balls or chase wild animals. He especially feels small next to Phoebe, a bold dog who is an ace ballcatcher, popular at parties, and seemingly unafraid of anything. In these three stories Buster discovers his self-worth and self-confidence and makes friends along the way. Beginning readers will relate to Buster's fears and his successes and will relish in their very own triumph of completing a chapter book.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Three brief vignettes about a bashful canine comprise this uneven yet often charmingly illustrated beginning reader from newcomer Bechtold. In the opening tale, "Buster's First Party," Bechtold's watercolors and hurried ink line whimsically capture the dynamics of a household filled with three cats, two dogs and an array of guests, and the plot exploits shy Buster's predicament to the fullest. The artist is at her best when she gets specific, as in a series of three Thurber-like spot illustrations when the pooch takes notice of a little girl who feels left out of the festivities. As he edges closer in the next two scenes, the elements of the composition shift and convey his transformation as he overcomes his shyness to befriend her. The next two stories are less intimate?in "Buster and Phoebe," Buster feels dwarfed by pooch pal Phoebe's talents until he finds one of his own; "Buster and Phoebe Meet the Garbage Bandit" chronicles the dog duo apprehending the culprits for whose mischief they've been blamed; both tales take place at night accompanied by illustrations steeped in subdued colors. Still, the dogs have very childlike characteristics, and youngsters will find much with which to identify. Ages 6-9.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-3-These three stories about a puppy searching for his strengths will bring smiles of recognition to the beginning-reader set. In the first, Buster is new to the household, trying to find his niche among bossy pets and intimidating guests during his owner's birthday party. Next, he tries to search and catch like fellow-canine Phoebe, but learns that his less-flashy ability to listen is just as valued. It is this quality that enables him to assist Phoebe in solving the mystery of the garbage bandits in the last piece. Bechtold's watercolor-and-ink illustrations are droll and plentiful. Children not quite ready for Cynthia Rylant's "Henry and Mudge" series (S & S) will appreciate the natural repetition of vocabulary and the brevity of text per page.
Wendy Lukehart, Dauphin County Library, Harrisburg, PA
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children (March 26, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0395850088
• ISBN-13: 978-0395850084
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,488,851 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must for shy kids!, May 9, 2006

By 

Carolyn Daniloff "love kids books!" (Lewisburg, PA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Buster: The Very Shy Dog (Paperback)

We stumbled upon this book at our local library as my then 3yr old son loves any books with dogs. We've subsequently purchased it. Turns out this book is not only a great book of 3 short stories, but it also has a great lesson too. My son is pretty shy and this book is about, what else, but a shy dog, as well as a bossy dog and some bossy cats. It explains that while the dogs are different, they both have good qualities. Buster finds his way to shine even in the shadow of "Phoebe".

A great book for anyone, but a must read for shy kids!
Carolyn

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My 8 year old daughter and I loved it, August 5, 2008

By 

Marianne Arnold (Plano, TX USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Buster: The Very Shy Dog (Paperback)

We are homeschoolers, and we used it as a reader for her. It's a delightful book to read, and the artwork is fabulous.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars almost 3 year old likes, November 17, 2010

By 

L. Rounsley (Vail, Arizona) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Buster: The Very Shy Dog (Paperback)

My daughter who is almost 3 really likes this book. We picked it up from the library, along with the other book about Buster and Phoebe, and she willingly sits through both books. Each chapter ends so that you could stop and put it down and move onto something else but she asks that I go onto the next chapter. It's really not as long as it appears, the words are simple, storyline is cute, resembles my own dogs, and makes me smile along with my daughter.
If you like dogs and have a toddler, you'll probably think it's cute too and so will he/she.