My Perfect Picture Book is really here, I promise, and if you’re in a hurry you can scroll down, but remember that special celebration I mentioned Wednesday? Well, today is a special day so I have to digress for one second!
Not only is today Perfect Picture Book Friday, it also happens to be my Brown Dog’s birthday! She is 5 today – a very nice age if you ask her 🙂 so please join me in a rousing chorus of
You are all invited for yellow cake with vanilla icing (which dogs are allowed to have a small piece of on their birthdays) after the post 🙂 (In case you hadn’t noticed, we’ll pretty much take any excuse for cake around here :))
And so you can see just how wonderful she is, here is a picture of her when we first met her:
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| how could anyone this cute have needed to be rescued? |
And here she is in her mature beauty 🙂
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| Best Brown Dog Ever! |
And now, in honor of Scout’s birthday (and because this is one of my all-time favorite picture books in the whole world) today’s selection will be Officer Buckle And Gloria. In case you were wondering, Gloria is a Brown Dog too 🙂
Officer Buckle And Gloria
Written and Illustrated By: Peggy Rathmann
Putnam Juvenile, September 1995, Fiction
Suitable For: ages 4-8
Themes/Topics: friendship, safety, being sensitive to others’ feelings
Opening: “Officer Buckle knew more safety tips than anyone else in Napville. Every time he thought of a new one, he thumbtacked it to his bulletin board. Safety Tip #77 NEVER stand on a SWIVEL CHAIR.”
Brief Synopsis: Officer Buckle gives the most boring safety speeches ever until Gloria comes along. All of a sudden, the students sit up and take notice. When Officer Buckle realizes what’s going on, his feelings are hurt. “No more speeches,” he says. But Gloria is no better without him than he was without her. In the end, they both learn the most important tip of all – “always stick with your buddy.” 🙂
Links To Resources: Classroom Activity, More Classroom Activities, Safety Tip Poster Activity, Captioned Media Program, Home School Lesson Plan
Why I Like This Book: This book is a touching and delightful story about friendship. The illustrations are hilarious, bringing Gloria’s outrageous antics to life. The safety tips are true and a good lesson, but presented in such an amusing way that kids won’t feel like they’re being taught or preached at. The same is true for the message about friendship and being sensitive to the feelings of others. This is a book you will be happy to read again and again 🙂
For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.
Also, another note about Perfect Picture Books. Our list is growing so beautifully that it’s getting harder to search. I’m working on adding an alphabetical listing by book title (so it will be easy for you to see at a glance what’s already been done) and by blogger (in case you love someone’s particular style!) If anyone finds any errors, please let me know! Just so you know, before today’s posts are even up, we have about 110 books on the list in about 75 categories, from about 24 devoted bloggers! And that’s after only 8 weeks!
And now- because I wouldn’t be me if I wasn’t teasing you about something 🙂 – tune in Monday for the announcement of a brand new feature!!! It’s going to be a good one (I think!), but I’m afraid you’ll have to wait until Monday to find out what it is 🙂
PPB bloggers, don’t forget to add your link to the list below!
Have a great weekend, everyone!
Susanna Leonard Hill 
*gasp* You have an autographed copy? I am jealous! 🙂
Glad you liked the combo -it made sense to me :)And I know – I have such fun on Fridays (even though it takes me all day to get around to all the blogs between doing other things) reading everyone's suggestions. There are so many great books out there. When people pick ones I already love I get that satisfied feeling of, oh I love that one too!, and when they post books I haven't heard of or read I have gret new picks to add to my TBR list. Fun all around!
Happy Birthday, Scout! I am also 5 years old. Don't you wish we could go to kindergarten, like other 5 year olds?!Mom eats all the cake around here, no matter what color it is. Apparently, that's a rule… For my birthday, I had a slice of ham. Yum!
Love & licks,
Cupcake
Yes, isn't it wonderful? We've got such a great thing going here! Now the trick will be to get the word out to parents and teachers so people (besides us writers :)) can make use of it! I'm thrilled with everyone's enthusiasm and all the terrific titles that are being added each week. Sorry about the suspense (well, not THAT sorry :)) – I hope you'll find it's worth the wait. You kind of never know with new ideas whether they'll be interesting to people or not…!
My Brown Dog thanks you 🙂 I think she and Rocky would be friends 🙂 And I think you would really like Officer Buckle – to me, it really is one of those perfect picture books – the kind I aspire to write!
Thanks so much for visiting, Cupcake, and for the birthday wishes! you can have a piece of my cake if you want – there're still a few crumbs! But HAM sounds very delicious too 🙂
I did read this book but a while ago. I am glad you reminded me of it! OUCH I left a tack on my chair (hee hee)!
I WARNED you….! 🙂
Erik The Great wrote, in response to Susanna Leonard Hill:
I did read this book but a while ago. I am glad you reminded me of it! OUCH I left a tack on my chair (hee hee)!
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Awww. I love seeing the puppy pic and then the mature dog pic. What a beauty.
BTW I gave you an award over on my blog today:
http://outonalimbshywritergoessocial.blogspot.com
Thanks so much, Ruth – both for the blog award and for admiring my Scouty Brown 🙂
What a handsome dog. 🙂 Happy Birthday!
And congrats on all your success with PBPF. It's such a great idea!
Thank you, Janet 🙂 I'd love if you ever want to join us at PPB! I'm also anxious to get the word out to parents, teachers etc. so they can actually make use of it, so if you have any bright ideas, please let me know!
Awww! Brown dog is so cute! As a baby and as a 5 year old.
Happy birthday to Brown Dog!!!! She has grown in to a beautiful woman. 🙂
Thank you, Peggy 🙂 We are very partial to her 🙂
Thank you, Marcie! Although given her penchant for chasing squirrels and gnawing on deer bones she finds in the woods, Brown Dog and “woman” aren't two concepts I usually associate 🙂
Happy Birthday to your cute doggie! Can't wait to find out about your new feature!
Thank you, Iza 🙂 And i won't be long before you hear about the new feature…only a few hours… and maybe you'll want to be my consultant 🙂
Susanna, I LOVE Officer Buckle and Gloria!! This is such a cute book. It makes a fantastic read aloud-the kids absolutely love Gloria's antics 🙂 Happy belated birthday to your sweet Scout. What a beauty!
I was introduced to your blog through the Comment Challenge. I enjoyed your reviews. You post today with a personal touch is adorable. Happy Birthday, Scout. What a great book connection.
I'm interested in tomorrow's post. I'm also interested in knowing more about Perfect Picture Book Friday. Mary Helen
Thank you, Kelly 🙂 She is the sweetest sweetie :)And I know – to me Officer Buckle is a perfect example of everything a picture book should be – that perfect marriage of text and art, each making the other better. Kind of like, always stick with your buddy 🙂 – better together!
Hi Mary Helen! Thanks so much for stopping by! I'm glad you enjoyed PPBs. If you'd like more info, try the Perfect Picture Book tab above, or use the Email Me button in the right sidebar if you have specific questions. Hope to see you again 🙂
I've never read Officer Buckle and Gloria but I think I'll have to take a look now!
I think you'll like it! Let me know what you think if you read it 🙂
This is a smart blog. I mean it. You have so much knowledge about this issue, and so much passion. You also know how to make people rally behind it, obviously from the responses. Youve got a design here thats not too flashy, but makes a statement as big as what youre saying. Great job, indeed.
Best,
ErwaNs
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