Rating: 
Summary: Fun for kids and parents
Review: Adults will get the humor in here, too, and won't mind reading it every night. I find myself reading through Officer Buckle's endless Post-It notes, and still find something I haven't seen before. It's always a joy to end the day with Officer Buckler and Gloria.
Rating:
Summary: As much fun for adults as kids
Review: Ludwig Bemelmans ("Madeline" author) once said something about children being young, not stupid. Here, here. Let's give kids some credit, even young ones, and expose them to smart, fun books like this. There are so many fun details in this books. You'll find yourself sitting alone, sans child, reading the little stickies Officer Buckle posts on his corkboard. What "Toy Story" was to movies, "Officer Buckle & Gloria" is to books - as much fun for adults as for kids.
Rating: 
Summary: Good book about friendship
Review: Melissa Ford English 385.005 2/1/2001 Dr. Michelle H. Martin Critical Reflection #1 Rathman, Peggy. Officer Buckle and Gloria. New York: Scholastic, 1996. In Officer Buckle and Gloria, Peggy Rathman illustrates the importance of teamwork. Officer Buckle is a safety instructor who goes around to different schools, sharing his safety tips. Bored, the students and teachers do not listen to the lessons Officer Buckle presents until he gets a partner, Gloria, who surprisingly demonstrates what happens when people ignore the safety tips. But Officer Buckle is unaware of Gloria's demonstration. When Officer Buckle sees one of Gloria's demonstrations on television, he feels as though he is not needed for the safety presentations. The character facial illustrations draw the reader into the story while small symbols like bananas illustrate foreshadowing. The bright colors that are used within the facial illustrations and foreshadowing are ironically used to symbolize safety and stability. In this story, Rathman uses a variety of details to draw readers in so that they become a character themselves. First, on each page the facial expressions of each character are illustrated perfectly to ensure that the reader fully understands how the character feels. For example, in the first presentation that Officer Buckle gives, the children are sleeping; in the next presentation, to which Officer Buckle brings Gloria, the children look surprised. The reader is now able to see the bright eyes of three children and many pointing hands of other children, whereas before there were no bright eyes and no hands other than those of sleeping children. Rathman uses small symbols like bananas to foreshadow the disaster that happens at the end of the story. On the second page of the story, someone spills a cup of banana pudding on the floor and from then on, there are only three double-page spreads that go by without a picture of bananas in some form. The bananas are represented on Officer Buckle's uniform, on a pudding cup, on children's shirts, and even on a safety helmet. The only pages that do not have bananas on them illustrate extremely active pages already, with Officer Buckle falling off a chair and then watching the news and seeing Gloria's demonstrations. With the bananas still being present in the middle of the story it can be assumed that the bananas are no longer serving the purpose of foreshadowing, however they serve as reminders of Officer Buckle's messages. The colors that Rathman uses throughout the story enhance the text. For instance, the illustrations that are used to back up a surprising text are the most dramatic in color with a big variety of bright orange, pink and blue. When the text is calm and somewhat stable, there is an abundance of white space left on the page. In Officer Buckle and Gloria, Peggy Rathman uses a variety of symbols, illustrations and colors to draw the reader into the story. In doing so, she keeps the readers attention, not only in the text but also in the pictures, no matter what age the reader may be.
Rating:
Summary: Safety Tips and Lessons in Cooperation from a Slapstick Duo!
Review: Most of us learn best when we are laughing, and this book should provide lots of encouragement to learning through laughter. The humor is aimed just perfectly for the 3-6 year old set to be totally fascinated. The humor has a serious purpose. You learn many valuable safety tips, the benefits of teamwork, and the importance of communicating in an interesting way. "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." Naturally, the book has the principal doing this all the time. There was a problem though. When Officer Buckle shared his tips with the students at school, they fell asleep. And there were more accidents than ever! One day the police department bought a police dog named Gloria. Officer Buckle took her to school. Whenever Officer Buckle would describe a potential danger, Gloria would pantomime the outcome in a humorous way. The children loved it! (and so will yours). Officer Buckle didn't realize why the children were paying attention until he saw a presentation televised. He grew angry. "I'm not giving any more speeches! Nobody looks at me, anyway!" So the school requested that Gloria come by herself. But that was a bad idea. She just "sat on stage looking lonely." Then "she fell asleep, so did the audience." After Gloria left, the Napville School had its biggest accident ever. "It started with a puddle of banana pudding . . . ." A letter comes to Officer Buckle saying, "Gloria missed you yesterday!" Officer Buckle and Gloria made up. Officer Buckle "thought of his best safety tip yet . . . ." "Safety Tip #101" "ALWAYS STICK WITH YOUR BUDDY!" This book won Ms. Peggy Rathmann the Caldecott Medal for the best illustrated children's book of 1996. Three elements undoubtedly contributed to that award. First, her people are very funny to behold in their bright colors and round features. Second, she creates motion exceptionally well (captured here with slapstick pratfalls and pantomimes). Third, every scene screams for you to giggle. This book should work better than antidepressant medicine for creating a sunny mood. After you finish enjoying the story, you and your child should discuss how learning can be made more fun for both of you. This book should give you some great ideas for skits as one way to express yourselves. Use laughing experiences to help bring home serious messages . . . always!
Rating:
Summary: How could she stop with just one "Gloria" book!
Review: My daughter has read this book with me several times and still laughs out loud at Gloria's antics, especially in the first "thumbtack" scene. It's so wonderful to hear the belly laughs of a usually fairly serious 3 yo enjoying this book. My 5 yo daughter enjoys reading the safety tips so charmingly illustrated by the pooch in the endpapers. The safety issues are valuable here, but they aren't the first things we think or talk about. We love Gloria, and we love the message of "never turn your back on your buddy." I've found this book to be a good starting point for talking about friendship and the intentions of our friends. Officer Buckle was very hurt and offended when he learned what Gloria did during his talks (a classic hang-dog look in that scene), but he learns that she didn't intend to hurt him and actually helps and enhances his work. Who doesn't feel misunderstood at some point? Clearly Gloria was, and happily her buddy realised that. What more could we ask for? (other than another equally good book with Gloria?)
Rating:
Summary: Safety tips
Review: Officer Buckle is a friendly police officer who enjoys making up safety tips and sharing them with school children. However, the school children find Officer Buckle's safety lectures boring, until the day when he takes his new police dog Gloria along with him to the lecture. Officer Buckle doesn't know it, but Gloria has a habit of acting out the tips behind his back while he is speaking. When Officer Buckle finally finds out what Gloria is doing behind his back, he decides to stop giving lectures. But Gloria finds that she can't go on without him, and the school children also miss the fun. The story is very cute and not at all scary.
Rating:
Summary: Safety tips
Review: Officer Buckle is a friendly police officer who enjoys making up safety tips and sharing them with school children. However, the school children find Officer Buckle's safety lectures boring, until the day when he takes his new police dog Gloria along with him to the lecture. Officer Buckle doesn't know it, but Gloria has a habit of acting out the tips behind his back while he is speaking. When Officer Buckle finally finds out what Gloria is doing behind his back, he decides to stop giving lectures. But Gloria finds that she can't go on without him, and the school children also miss the fun. The story is very cute and not at all scary.
Rating:
Summary: just so so funny
Review: Officer Buckle knows more about safety than anyone else. He gives talks about his tips to remain safe. Unfortunately his talks fall on deaf ears. Safety is just not interesting. But then the force acquires a new police dog named Gloria. Gloria accompanies Officer Buckle to a talk. While Officer Buckle recites his list of safety tips, Gloria performs tricks to illustrate them. But Officer Buckle does not know Gloria is doing anything. Suddenly the safety talks are a hit and Officer Buckle and Gloria are appearing everywhere. Then Officer Buckle sees himself on the news. He also sees what Gloria has been doing. He is not happy. But by the end of the book, Officer Buckle and Gloria have learned their lessons and that teamwork is key to the success of the safety program. Boy did my daughter love this book when I read it to her last night. She loves dogs and Gloria's antics were pure entertainment. She caught on to the teamwork message as well as some of the safety tips (most of which are visible as notes in the illustrations). She also liked the pictures (no gorillas or hamsters making appearances) especially Gloria signing autographs while Officer Buckle buys some ice cream. A fun book that teaches some good lessons in a way children will follow. Bravo! It deserved the award it won (and it deserves others as well).
Rating:
Summary: A Read-Aloud Hit!
Review: Primary age students in our school love to have "OfficerBuckle and Gloria" read aloud to them, and upper grade studentsremember this story fondly. While the story stands alone as a playful read-aloud, it can be an effective tool for opening a discussion on safety. Officer Buckle keeps thinking of new safety tips that he keeps thumbtacked to his bulletin board, like "never do tricks on the monkey bars without someone there to catch you." The endpapers of the book are also filled with stars containing more safety tips. Just as the students in the story are entertained by Gloria, the dog, and come away with Officer Buckle's helpful tips, children who read or listen to this book read will be entertained, yet come away with some great advice, such as "always wear a crash helmet." This one deserves the Caldecott Medal as the colorful, playful drawings are an essential part of the story.
Rating:
Summary: Stay with your buddy!
Review: This book for children is about a police officer (I've been told that it is based, in part, on a San Francisco officer) who gives talks on safety to elementary school children. His talks are quite boring until he is accompanied by his police dog, Gloria. At first he is deflated that the students aren't cheering his presentation; but, with Gloria present they actually learn safety. The book won the 1996 Caldecott Medal for best illustrations in a children's book. One of the earlier reviewers gave this book only two stars apparently because they couldn't see the humor. Part of the humor can be found in the background and how it meshes with the text.
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