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.
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
K-Gr 3-- As in Bottner's Mean Maxine (Pantheon, 1980; o.p.) and Zoo Song (Scholastic, 1989), the theme of this book is about finding ways for very different people to resolve conflicts without bloodshed. A mismatched duo, Bootsie and the narrator are thrown together because of their mothers' friendship. Underneath Bootsie's bouncy blond hair, frilly dress, and ribboned straw hat lies the heart of a tyrant. The moment adults clear the room, the sweet smile turns into a sneer and the real child emerges. She becomes a vicious dinosaur intent on devouring her playmate. The narrator's mother gives neither comfort nor protection, so the little girl decides to beat the bully at her own game--with humorous, successful results. The story may be somewhat slight, but it will certainly be appreciated by all children forced to deal with Jekyll-and-Hyde playmates. 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. A book that treats a common and often troubling situation with an entertaining but effective touch. --Heide Piehler, Shorewood Public Library, WI
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
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