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| Buster | ||||||||||||||||||
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| Buster is a happy dog whose life is absolutely perfect. He has everything he could ever want from life. From personalized feeding bowls, to �a sandpit for dirt baths,� to even �a radio tuned to his favorite station,� there is nothing more he can ask for. Everything was perfect in his life until his owner, (referred to only as �Brown Shoes�) brought home a big box. Readers will enjoy Buster�s amusing reactions to having to share his perfect life with a cat named Betty. The author brings the main character to life by allowing him to react the same way a real dog would. Although pet owners are not aware of what exactly is going through a jealous pet�s mind, it is delightful to see | ||||||||||||||||||
| that Buster reacts the way some of us may have witnessed an insecure pet react to a younger, new pet. The plot is definitely engrossing, encouraging readers to find out what the end of the story will bring. Young readers will find the colorful illustrations interesting, and readers of all ages will enjoy the way Buster tries to ignore the cat in the hopes that it will go away. Readers can anticipate that in the end, Buster will learn to love this new pet. The title of the story is short and simple, and this allows readers to wonder what the story contains. The cover portrays who readers can assume is Buster happily smelling a flower and simply enjoying life. The rest of the illustrations are quite colorful and rich in texture. The Horn Book describes this book by saying that �Fleming�s pulp paintings are a celebration of shape, color, and texture.� The setting is at Buster�s house and later at a park, but the time allows readers to enjoy this book either now or twenty years from now. Characterization is well done in that Buster�s personality is neither exaggerated or unrealistic. He is a well-rounded character despite the fact that the story is short and to the point. Betty is not spoken about as much, but we see that this pet is also trying her best to be accepted. The story unfolds quite rapidly, and the climax and ending of the story are quite touching. The story is divided in six short chapters, which prepares readers for reading chapter books in the future. The chapters are short and keep the story interesting. In the chapter titled, �Home�, teachers will find an aerial view map to Buster�s house useful when teaching maps and introducing keys or symbols on maps. Fleming, Denise. 2003. Buster. New York: Henry Holt & Company, LLC. ISBN 0-8050-6279-3. |
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| http://www.backgroundcity.com/ | ||||||||||||||||||