Bootsie Barker Bites

Purchased at my local library sale table for .10, this book is a hoot!

Bootsie Barker is a bully that bites. Told from the voice of the child who is bullied, this is a wonderful tale of getting even and empowerment.

Because Bootise Barker's mother and the child Bootsie tortures with her nasty antics are best friends, each day Bootsie is dropped off at the house to play.

Each game results in Bootise turning herself into a monster with sharp, sharp teeth with which she bites.

I very much liked the illustrations. They made me laugh right out loud. The girl dreams each night that Bootise accidently falls off the edge of the world and cannot be saved.

Turning the table, the girl who is bullied pretends she is a Bootise-eating monster.

Bootise's show more last fit nets her a trip to Chicago where she can live far, far away.

While short of pages, this tale is a marvelous joy! show less

Bootsie Barker is a terror, but her mother is best friends with our narrator's mother, so the girls are expected to get along. When Bootsie plans to stay overnight, the girl finally talks to her mother, who says, sensibly, "Tell Bootsie you don't want to play that game." So the girl and her pet salamander come up with a new game - one that sends Bootsie running.

I love reading this book to my class. We first read Ruby the Copycat and children love to find similarities in the illustrations. When we discuss bullies this book is a particularly good example of how some children control others without the adults realizing there is a problem. The surprise ending is cute. My kids laugh when they realize Bootsie is about to stop bossing her friend around.

Summary: A little girl by another girl named Bootsie every day when bootsie comes over to play. At first the little girs does nothing, and then she tells her mom. When nothing changes the little girl stands up to Bootsie on her own.

Personal Review: I really enjoyed this book it shows how one can deal with a bully. It teaches to use brains not violence to deal with a bully.

Classroom Extensions:Can be used to teach other kids that are being bullied how to deal with a bully.

Summary:
Bootsie Barker Bites is a story about two girls and their friendship. The one little girl does not like when Bootsie comes over. Bootsie is mean to the other little and is always scaring her. One day the little girl’s mom says that Bootsie is coming over to spend the night while Bootsie parents go to Chicago. The little girl throws a fit but her mom says you girls need to get along. The little girl comes up with a plan and scares Bootsie when she gets there. Bootsie runs out to her parents’ car and begs them to take her to Chicago with them. They take her. The little girl is excited that she does not have to spend the night with Bootsie.

Personal Reaction:
I LOVED this book. It is one of my favorite books that I have had to show more read for my class. I love the friendship between the girls and how they have completely different personalities. I would read this book to anyone. It is super cute!!

Classroom Extension Ideas:
1.I would use this book in a unit about manners. We would read the book and then as a class talk about the bad manners that Bootsie shows in the story. Then we would talk about how Bootsie can change what she did wrong so she has better manners. I would have the students give me a list of manners that they think are really important.
2.I would use this book in a unit about friendship. I would read the book and have a discussion about the friendship about the two girls in the book. I would point out how friends do not always get along, but they do get over it and can become friends again. I would have the students write a short description of what they do with their best friends and then have them draw a picture of what they wrote about. show less

The story, about Bootsie who bites, is slight but enjoyable. The illustrations really made the book for me. Bootsie's teeth are fearsome. Bootsie's shadow is terrifying. The colors are bright and punchy and blocky, but the characters come to life. Charlene the salamander is, unsurprisingly, my favorite character. She speaks volumes with her posture.

When Bootsie Barker comes over to play, she bullies and terrorizes her playmate. Bootsie isn't interested in the little girl's frog, salamander, or playing nice with her. She prefers to become a dinosaur who throws things, chases, teases, and tackles. When faced with Bootsie coming over to spend the night, the clever little girl turns the table on Bootsie as she stands up for herself and invites Bootsie to play paleontologist. A scared Bootsie runs out the door before her parents can leave, and the clever little girl contentedly waves her goodbye.