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Buster
Buster the Very Shy Dog
"These stories about a puppy searching for his strengths will bring smiles of recognition to the beginning-reader set." —School Library Journal
Join Buster the very shy dog as he discovers his self-worth and self-confidence in a house full of more outgoing canine and feline characters. Newly formatted for Green Light Readers Level 3, this edition of Buster features two easy-to-read stories from the original book. In the first, a wary Buster reaches out to befriend a girl who seems sad and lonely at a birthday party. In the second, Buster, insecure about his inability to catch a ball, uncovers a winning talent all his own!
Join Buster the very shy dog as he discovers his self-worth and self-confidence in a house full of more outgoing canine and feline characters. Newly formatted for Green Light Readers Level 3, this edition of Buster features two easy-to-read stories from the original book. In the first, a wary Buster reaches out to befriend a girl who seems sad and lonely at a birthday party. In the second, Buster, insecure about his inability to catch a ball, uncovers a winning talent all his own!
32 pages, Hardcover
First published March 26, 1999
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
September 22, 2021
Buster is such a sweet dog. I want to give him all the pets and loves. The books are broken down into short stories with color images on each page. Next read King & Kayla, Mercy Watson, or My Furry Foster Family.
February 19, 2024
As a puppy, Buster was very shy. Would he ever grow out of it?
Phoebe, Roger's other dog, was not shy but bossy. Roger's personal menagerie included many cats, too, also bossy.
In both chapters of this little book, Lisze Bechtold gives a very young child's view of life. Animals included.
The scale of drama is pitch perfect, and her illustrations are absolutely perfect for conveying the tiny but meaningful plots in the two chapters here. Well done, Lisze Bechtold. FIVE STARS.
Phoebe, Roger's other dog, was not shy but bossy. Roger's personal menagerie included many cats, too, also bossy.
In both chapters of this little book, Lisze Bechtold gives a very young child's view of life. Animals included.
The scale of drama is pitch perfect, and her illustrations are absolutely perfect for conveying the tiny but meaningful plots in the two chapters here. Well done, Lisze Bechtold. FIVE STARS.
September 7, 2020
We'll be reading more of these!
July 30, 2021
Two sweet little stories about being better at things than you thought.
October 16, 2021
Cute set of 3 stories for children to enjoy reading.
September 18, 2016
~ borrowed from the Library
BUSTER, THE VERY SHY DOG is at the 2nd Grade Reading Level --about the middle of the year. This book has 755 words and is described as a Chapter book, although in reality it's not so much a chapter book as it is a book with two stories.
I adore this book. I read my first Buster book about two weeks ago and immediately went back to the library to get more. I mean, there aren't many early readers that make me laugh. This series does.
The first story is about how Buster came to live in Roger's household with the other cats, dog, and hamster. He was small and very shy. Over time he grew to be a large dog, but he remains shy.
When someone came to visit,
Buster would run and hide.
Most people met Buster by accident.
... and the artwork shows a lady hanging up her coat in the closet, and consequently getting her first glance at Buster.
It's a birthday party that provides the excitement. So many people and so much cake and ice cream. Children end up chasing Buster in a friendly way, but ultimately he ends up under the back porch. And he would have stayed there except for a little girl who is crying because she doesn't know anyone at the part.
Buster comes out and the two together manage to make the best of things.
-----
The second story deals with Buster worrying because he is not as clever Phoebe, the other house dog. Phoebe can catch and is not shy. The story ends with Buster discovering that he can do things Phoebe can't.
OVERALL I found both these stories to be good ones to share. The second story can open up discussions about how we all aren't the same and that sometimes we have to wait to find out what we are extra good at.
The first story shows a lot of heart and I think can be used to talk about how some people/kids like lots of excitement and some like a quieter way of doing things.
The font in this book is still fairly large and there are up to 6 lines of text. The artwork adds to the humor.
If your library has this series it's well worth tracking down.
=======================
Note that there is an older edition of this book that has 48 pages --instead of the newer versions 32 pages. This book includes a third story titled, BUSTER AND PHOEBE MEET THE GARBAGE BANDIT.
This story hinges around the fact that good dogs Buster and Phoebe are blamed for a mess someone else made with the garbage. They do find the culprits and clear their good names, but not without some mishaps.
Not sure why this story was dropped. Perhaps it comes down to profit. It also might be that the third story was not at the second grade reading level.
.
BUSTER, THE VERY SHY DOG is at the 2nd Grade Reading Level --about the middle of the year. This book has 755 words and is described as a Chapter book, although in reality it's not so much a chapter book as it is a book with two stories.
I adore this book. I read my first Buster book about two weeks ago and immediately went back to the library to get more. I mean, there aren't many early readers that make me laugh. This series does.
The first story is about how Buster came to live in Roger's household with the other cats, dog, and hamster. He was small and very shy. Over time he grew to be a large dog, but he remains shy.
When someone came to visit,
Buster would run and hide.
Most people met Buster by accident.
... and the artwork shows a lady hanging up her coat in the closet, and consequently getting her first glance at Buster.
It's a birthday party that provides the excitement. So many people and so much cake and ice cream. Children end up chasing Buster in a friendly way, but ultimately he ends up under the back porch. And he would have stayed there except for a little girl who is crying because she doesn't know anyone at the part.
Buster comes out and the two together manage to make the best of things.
-----
The second story deals with Buster worrying because he is not as clever Phoebe, the other house dog. Phoebe can catch and is not shy. The story ends with Buster discovering that he can do things Phoebe can't.
OVERALL I found both these stories to be good ones to share. The second story can open up discussions about how we all aren't the same and that sometimes we have to wait to find out what we are extra good at.
The first story shows a lot of heart and I think can be used to talk about how some people/kids like lots of excitement and some like a quieter way of doing things.
The font in this book is still fairly large and there are up to 6 lines of text. The artwork adds to the humor.
If your library has this series it's well worth tracking down.
=======================
Note that there is an older edition of this book that has 48 pages --instead of the newer versions 32 pages. This book includes a third story titled, BUSTER AND PHOEBE MEET THE GARBAGE BANDIT.
This story hinges around the fact that good dogs Buster and Phoebe are blamed for a mess someone else made with the garbage. They do find the culprits and clear their good names, but not without some mishaps.
Not sure why this story was dropped. Perhaps it comes down to profit. It also might be that the third story was not at the second grade reading level.
.
July 15, 2015
Categories/Genres for this class fulfilled by this book
Fiction/Easy Reader
Estimate of age level of interest
K-3
Estimate of reading level
3.7
Brief description
Buster attends his first party only to realize that he’s not the only one feeling left out. Buster learns what he’s best at – being the best listener in the house. Buster and Phoebe find the garbage bandits – raccoons.
Identify at least 2 characteristics of this genre and subgenre and discuss how they appear in your book
• Emergent Reader books have increasingly more lines per page.
Buster: The Very Shy Dog is no exception – going from one line (least) to eleven lines (most); the reader is slowly led to read more and more text. Once a young reader becomes familiar with this text, it is a story that they’ll want to read again and again.
• Emergent Reader books are less dependent on repetitive pattern and pictures.
In the three chapters of this book, I only found one repetitive phrase (in Chapter One). The pictures help to extend and enhance the text, allowing readers to make inferences. A good book for a picture walk with early emergent readers.
In what ways and how well does the book as a whole serve its intended audience?
Buster is well-suited for its intended audience because readers recognize that characters can be more than one-dimensional. In easy reader chapter books, characters (such as Buster) demonstrate that they have very distinct, multi-dimensional personalities in different situations, just like the reader does.
Awards if any
Links to published reviews from professional sources e.g. ALA, Booklist, Kirkus, SLJ, etc.
Book Links 08/01/01
Horn Book Magazine 07/01/99
Booklist 05/15/99
Kirkus Reviews 02/15/99
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books 03/01/99
Publishers Weekly 01/18/99
Elementary School Library Collection 06/01/00
School Library Journal 05/01/99
Fiction/Easy Reader
Estimate of age level of interest
K-3
Estimate of reading level
3.7
Brief description
Buster attends his first party only to realize that he’s not the only one feeling left out. Buster learns what he’s best at – being the best listener in the house. Buster and Phoebe find the garbage bandits – raccoons.
Identify at least 2 characteristics of this genre and subgenre and discuss how they appear in your book
• Emergent Reader books have increasingly more lines per page.
Buster: The Very Shy Dog is no exception – going from one line (least) to eleven lines (most); the reader is slowly led to read more and more text. Once a young reader becomes familiar with this text, it is a story that they’ll want to read again and again.
• Emergent Reader books are less dependent on repetitive pattern and pictures.
In the three chapters of this book, I only found one repetitive phrase (in Chapter One). The pictures help to extend and enhance the text, allowing readers to make inferences. A good book for a picture walk with early emergent readers.
In what ways and how well does the book as a whole serve its intended audience?
Buster is well-suited for its intended audience because readers recognize that characters can be more than one-dimensional. In easy reader chapter books, characters (such as Buster) demonstrate that they have very distinct, multi-dimensional personalities in different situations, just like the reader does.
Awards if any
Links to published reviews from professional sources e.g. ALA, Booklist, Kirkus, SLJ, etc.
Book Links 08/01/01
Horn Book Magazine 07/01/99
Booklist 05/15/99
Kirkus Reviews 02/15/99
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books 03/01/99
Publishers Weekly 01/18/99
Elementary School Library Collection 06/01/00
School Library Journal 05/01/99
Read
February 12, 20176-year-old daughter: 4 stars
4-year-old daughter:
4-year-old daughter:
July 25, 2015
Young readers of this beginning chapter book will easily identify with Buster, a big dog who is shy and feels small. Buster is bullied by the dogs and cats he lives with, and feels that wishes he could be more like them. In the two chapters of this book (Buster's First Party and Buster and Phoebe) Buster's shyness *almost* makes him miss out on cake and ice cream and he manages to find his special skill that saves the day when trying to be more like Phoebe doesn't work out so well for him. The illustrations are charming and the text is simple and the reader is sure to fall in love with Buster.
January 31, 2012
I thought this book was decent. The illustrations are very similar to most dog books. I did like that there were three different "books" in total. This would work out good if you were reading to your child or students a different story each day. My favorite was "Buster and Phoebe Meet the Garage Bandit". Through the other stories it seems as if Buster and Phoebe don't get along but in the last one they come together and realize that they have to work together and get along. Good story!
January 14, 2010
Good story, rough illustrations that sort of remind me of Thurber.
March 4, 2014
Great introduction to chapter books. Large font, plenty of pictures, cute story.
October 4, 2013
Great way to integrate chapter books into the classroom.
April 8, 2015
Note: I received an unbound galley of this book from the publisher.
September 28, 2015
Recommended for all of us animal lovers, Nu, Terry Field!
August 26, 2016
A great book about shyness and how it can be a positive attribute.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews