Bootsie Barker Bites - by Barbara Bottner (Paperback)

About the Book

Bootsie Barker is a tiny terror who kicks dogs, sticks out her tongue, and throws temper tantrums. But when she turns her nastiness on her playmate, Bootsie receives a taste of her own medicine. "Expressive drawings give this book unusual vitality".--"Booklist", starred review.

Book Synopsis

Seeing bully Bootsie Barker get her comuppance is guaranteed to make young readers smile.

It's the worst when Bootsie Barker comes to my house. Bootsie's the one who pulls my hair and tears my books. She hates Charlene, my pet salamander. She says that I'm a turtle and she's a turtle-eating dinosaur.

Uh-oh, I think I hear a car pulling up. That's her now! Eeek!

"The colorful cartoon and wash drawings, filled with amusing detail, perfectly express the terroristic tactics and the narrator's frustration. When Bootsie is on a rampage, even the stuffed animals cover their eyes." --School Library Journal

Review Quotes

Praise for Bootsie Barker Bites

★"The story will be appreciated by all children .... The colorful drawings, filled with amusing detail, perfectly express the terroristic tactics and the narrator's frustrations .... A book that treats a common and often troubling situation with an entertaining but effective touch." --School Library Journal (starred review)

★"Bootsie comes over every day and the children 'play' while their mothers visit. ... Playtime itself consists of[Bootsie] tormenting her playmate. When the shy young victim learns that Bootsie will be spending the night, she's finally stirred to stand up for herself and scare the daylights out of her oppressor. Children will find this a profoundly satisifying turn of events . . . Expressive drawings gives this book unusual vitality . . . A natural for storytime." -- Booklist (starred review)

"Uproariously illustrated .... Hilarious." --Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Barbara Bottner began writing for children in the 1970's, when she broke her leg doing off-Broadway Theater and decided to consider a different career. Having gotten a degree in painting, she began to hang out in the children's book section of libraries and bookstores. She was amazed at the originality of the art and fell in love with picture books. Slightly fickle, she also wrote I Can Reads, eventually middle grade and YA novels. She stretched out into writing for television and film and also published essays and short stories in national magazines. She returned to writing books for children and Bootsie Barker Bites, illustrated by Peggy Rathmann, a classic, was translated into eight languages and animated for television. Barbara teaches writing and consults with writers all over the country; she was honored to receive the New School Distinguished Teaching Award in 1990.