Buster

Ahh, it’s the good life for Buster, a red, pointy-nosed dog. He has his own dishes (with his name painted in curvy letters), a big grassy yard, an in-and-out flap on the back door, and "Brown Shoes," who takes Buster to the park any time he wants. But on the day Brown Shoes brings home a big box--which does not contain sausages or fancy French cheeses, as Buster hopes--life takes a dramatic turn for the worse. Enter Betty, a fluffy white kitten, who doesn’t seem to realize that Buster is scared of cats. When she starts purring and winding around Buster’s legs, he freezes: "Buster was terrified. He was afraid to move. 'If I ignore her,' thought Buster, 'maybe she’ll go away.'" Of course, she doesn’t, so Buster does. Running off to a park across town, Buster has a lovely day... until he realizes he has no idea how to get back home again. Can you guess who comes to the rescue?

Denise Fleming’s distinctive artistic style, as seen in such earlier picture books as The Everything Book and Alphabet Under Construction , uses pulp painting to create lush, rich pages thickly covered in color and texture. The picture book is divided into six titled "chapters," giving younger readers a feel for early chapter books, and includes a map of Buster's route home. Charming--highly recommended! (Ages 4 to 7) --Emilie Coulter