Officer Buckle and Gloria

"Peggy Rathmann knows what appeals to a child audience in her talk of the lively antics of police dog Gloria and the earnest Safety Officer Buckle," said Julie Cummins, chair of the Caldecott Award Selection Committee. "Rathmann integrates picture, text, and total design into a united whole. Gloria's irreverent acrobatics behind Buckle's back contrast with the officer's straight-laced safety tips to school audiences. The original, lively, and energetic art leads the readers through a story of cooperation and friendship. The cartoon-style watercolor and ink illustrations employ brilliant colors that, combined with a creative use of white space, engage the reader in the humor and warmth of this stellar performance."