Dear Beast

Dear Beast #1

by Dori Hillestad Butler, Kevan Atteberry (Illustrations)

A jealous cat really, really , REALLY wants to drive away his young owner's new dog in this playful illustrated chapter book from a two-time Geisel Honor winner.

Simon has taken care of his owner, Andy, for many years. He's a good cat. Clean, responsible, and loyal. What more could a boy want? Even when Andy's dad moves out, Simon is certain that Andy doesn't need another pet. So why would Andy's dad adopt a DOG?! To make matters worse, the animal is a rude, rowdy troublemaker.

Simon's job is clear: the beast has got to go. He decides to write him a letter. Strongly worded, of course. But when the dog's response sets off an unexpected correspondence, Simon realizes the beast may be here to stay. Can he make room for another pet in Andy's life?

This funny and heartwarming collaboration between Geisel Honor and Edgar Award-winning author Dori Hillestad Butler and bestselling illustrator Kevan Atteberry is a tribute to the love of a good pet - and the joy found in new friendship. With nine chapters and adorable full-color illustrations on every spread, the series is perfect for kids transitioning from picture books to chapter books.

A Junior Library Guild Selection

Genres: Humor, Chapter Books, Animals, Childrens, Divorce, Cats, Juvenile

80 pages, Hardcover

First published May 12, 2020

About the author

Dori Hillestad Butler is an American author of more than 40 children's books, as well as magazine stories, plays and educational materials. Her first book, The Great Tooth Fairy Rip-Off, was published in 1997. She is known particularly for The Truth about Truman School, a 2008 young adult title focusing on the subject of cyber bullying, and for My Mom's Having a Baby (illustrated by Carol Thompson), which in 2011 appeared on the American Library Association's list of most commonly challenged books in the United States for its portrayal of conception and childbirth. Her 2010 mystery title, Buddy Files: Case of the Last Boy, won the 2011 Edgar Award for the best juvenile mystery published in 2010. Before becoming a children's author, Butler worked for three years as a page at a library.

Reviews

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

What if a cat and dog who belonged to the same boy could exchange letters through snail mail (literally)? In this new graphic novel series, Simon the Cat is determined to be an only pet. His boy Andy has gotten a new dog named Baxter at the house where Andy's dad lives. Simon writes to Baxter to try and get rid of him and they begin exchanging letters. The fastidious nature of the cat is clearly contrasted with the dogs happy-go-lucky philosophy of life and spelling errors (an extensive Doggy Dictionary is included). Other animals like Bubbles, the goldfish; Stinky, the skunk; and Edgar Allen Crow get involved in the ongoing saga. Kids will love the graphics and the humorous exchanges between the animals. Looking forward to the next book in the series--Dear Beast--the Pet Parade.

[Donalyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

My granddaughter (8) was concerned that the pets didn’t have tags and collars, but that’s her schema. She loved the book and I’ve already pre-ordered the second one for her.

[orangerful · Rating 4 out of 5]

While not breaking in the new ground in the cats vs dogs debate, this was a really cute and fun read.

When Andy's Dad gets a new dog at his house, Andy's cat, that lives with his Mom, is furious and begins a letter writing campaign to convince the dog to leave. Their exchanges are a lot of fun to read and I think kids would crack up at the ridiculousness of it all.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ha, that book, overall made me laugh. Great resource on proper letter writing (a lost art IMO).

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Told through letters between the old pet (Simon the cat) and the new pet (Baxter the dog). Each live with one of Andy's parents as they've divorced. So much humor for young readers. The letters tell the story of this relationship that starts out rocky and evolves into mutual respect. The letters from and to other animals are hilarious sidebars as well. I love the snail mail carrier. Don't miss these facial expressions.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dear Beast combines a bossy cat, an enthusiastic, friendly dog, and a bunch of letters in a fun and entertaining way. When Simon finds out that his boy, Andy, has a new dog at his dad's house, he makes it his business to write a letter to this dog telling him to go away. Baxter, the dog, refuses in a letter full of grammatical mistakes and misspellings. The letters fly fast and furious as Simon works hard to persuade Baxter to leave. Simon even goes so far as calling Baxter, "Beast". Very little bothers Baxter, until Simon accuses him of being the reason for all the bad things that have been happening to Andy. Baxter finally leaves. Simon's happy at first until he realizes how unhappy Andy is and decides to try to bring Baxter back. But Baxter doesn't seem to want to be found. Butler and Atteberry have created a delightfully amusing tale told through letters. This book is not only a fun story of a gradually developing friendship between two very different characters, but it's a great way for children to learn about letter writing and the importance of spelling and grammar.

[Ken Yuen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute and fun. Cat writes letters to a dog, telling him to stay away from his hyooman

[Julia Crainshaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

K-2 students will love this story about Simon's two pets, told through letters written by the pets.

[Kate Shaner · Rating 5 out of 5]

super funny!!

[Leslie Sachlis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simon the cat loves his person Andy. Simon thinks that he takes very good care of Andy. Simon does not think that he should have to share Andy with another pet. Dad moves out and the adopts a dog. Simon works very hard to get Baxter the dog to leave. There is problem. Andy loves Simon and Baxter. What is Simon going to do? This story is told with humor. Young pet lovers who are transitioning to chapter books will love the story.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

“It has come to my attention that you wish to care for my boy, Andy. This letter is to inform you that your services are not needed.”

So begins the letter writing campaign of Simon, the cat. His boy, Andy, is living in two households: one with his Mom and Simon and one with his Dad, and his new dog, Baxter. Simon is livid that this dog should not be allowed to stay. After all, Andy only needs one pet and that’s Simon. But as Simon writes back, bad spelling and all, he tells the story of how he’s helping Andy to have more fun and make friends.

So, Simon enlists the help of his friend, Stinky, and his frenemy, Bubbles. But Stinky doesn’t have much luck getting rid of Baxter and Bubbles doesn’t want to. Then, after Andy falls out of a tree and breaks his arm ... because Baxter missed the ball that Andy threw, Simon brings the hammer down. “It’s your fault Andy is sick, your fault he didn’t do his homework, and your fault he broke his arm. You are bad, bad, BAD for Andy, Beast! You need to leave now!” And Baxter does. But Simon had no idea how much Baxter’s disappearance would upset Andy. Now what does he do?

Hilarious. A definite addition to my school library.

[Becky B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simon the cat has done a very efficient job of caring for his boy Andy. When he hears that Andy now has a puppy at his Dad's house, Simon takes it upon himself to notify this canine that Andy already has a pet caring for him and doesn't need another. Baxter at first thinks Simon is joking and responds with relentless kindness, but will Simon's constant mean letters finally get to Baxter?

It takes a while, but Simon does eventually learn his lesson. Baxter is such a sweet, lovable pup. Baxter is learning and working on his spelling so his letters start off with very creative phonetic spellings and slowly improve over the course of the book (there's a guide in the back of the book to what Baxter's creative spellings mean). I like the way this book teaches how to properly compose a letter. There's a great message about the power of our words and how we use them. I can see this being a jumping off point to talk about how bullying can be physical but can also be verbal or written and how to respond in such circumstances. The artwork is very cute.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

First sentence: They wouldn't have.... Guess what, Mom! We got a dog at Dad's house!

Premise/plot: Simon and Baxter star in Dori Hillestad Butler's Dear Beast. Simon, the cat, is VERY opinionated. He knows that the dog, the beast, (aka BAXTER) is NOT needed. Andy does not need a DOG. He has a cat...and a fish. Simon is Andy's pet at his mom's house. Baxter is Andy's pet at his dad's house. These two exchange letters with each other... can these two learn to get along and do what is best for Andy?

My thoughts: This is the first in the series. I read the third book first. I did like going back to pick up this one. It helped clarified things a bit! The book is cute and fun. The personalities of both pets are clear. And those personalities are expressed well in the illustrations.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simon's human, Andy, now splits his time between his newly divorced mom and dad's houses. When Simon finds out there is a dog at Andy's dad's house, he sends a letter to the dog letting him know that Andy is already being cared for by a pet. So starts their correspondence. Can they both be Andy's caring pets? It's very funny, but I'm not sure how I feel about Baxter/the Beast's constant misspellings. While it's realistic for a dog to not know how to spell, it might be a little confusing in a first chapter book for beginning readers. However, the words can be sounded out and are realistic for how a child might misspell a word. The whole book is their letters back and forth, the full-color illustrations show the pets' feelings clearly, including the snail mail carrier :)

[Checkthebook · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is a train wreck. No no no. I am surprised because I like many of Butler's other books. The story tells us the "wonderful" news that, now that the main character's parents are divorced, he is (finally!) able to get the dog he always wanted. Yay! His mom did not want a dog, so now that they are divorced, the dad went and got a dog at his new place. Great. But besides that, the book is just incredibly hard to follow. All the writing consists of letters written back and forth between the pets and other animals, with many of the words cutely misspelled (because you see, animals can't spell). Just stick to this author's other stuff.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simon the cat is really upset that his boy Andy got a new pet dog at his dad's house. Unwilling to share his boy, Simon writes letters to the new dog, Baxter, to convince him to leave. He also tries to recruit the help of other animals (the goldfish, neighborhood skunk, etc) to help get rid of Baxter. When he finally does leave, Simon discovers it wasn't for the best after all. But will Simon be able to find Baxter and get him to come back?

I loved the letter writing back and forth and the relentless joy that Baxter embodies. Simon is quite the grumpy and selfish cat who is bullying Baxter to get him to leave. I'm glad Simon has a change of heart though and compromise is reached.

[Brenda McElyea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simon the cat who is doesn't think his human Andy needs another pet. He explains this to Baxter the dog who lives with Andy's dad. Ultimately Baxter is convinces Baxter whom he call Beast to leave. The author, Doris Hillestad Butler, utilizes letters as a means to tell the story. The illustrations by Kevan Atteberry are simple and to the point conveying enough meaning without distracting from the story. I recommend this book for libraries needing chapter books for young readers and for teachers teaching the art of letter writing. Title will be available May 12, 2020,

[Sasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kids love epistolary stories just as much as adults do. Add in an overly bug-up-his-butt cat and a barely literate dog (but he's working on it!), plus literal snail mail - and you get a surprisingly heartfelt story about overcoming jealosy for the common good and harmony for your loved one. It definitely leans into the cliches of cats vs. dogs and stuff, but manages to be a story that carries itself without relying on the old tropes as a substitute for a plot.

I'm back onsite working at the Library, and this was a fun one on my pile. Good to be back, and here's to many more!

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read with the whole family and we really liked it. Reminded me of "Dear Mrs Larue".

Simon the Cat is writing letters to the dog that is now living at Andy's dad's house. Simon is not a fan and is trying desperately to get Baxter to go away. They write letters back and forth, and some other animals join in the correspondence. There is great wordplay. Of course, the dog runs away after Simon makes him feel bad and then Simon the Cat has a change of heart and goes to find him.

[Selma Ruiz · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story revolves around Simon, a sophisticated cat who is initially dismayed to find that his beloved boy, Andy, has a new dog named Baxter living in what Simon considers his home. I like how this story is told through a series of letters, capturing the essence of both pet personalities beautifully. The contrast between their viewpoints adds a humorous and endearing quality to the narrative, making it a good read for young readers. The illustrations in this book provide vivid and expressive visuals that perfectly complement the text.

[Alicia Evans · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an adorable little read! A pet cat hears that their boy has a new pet--a dog--at his father's house and is disgruntled. The story is told through illustrations and letters with a lot of humor and cuteness. Fans of diary format books may also find this enjoyable. Cute.

For: dog/cat fans; readers looking for a quick book with unique storytelling (letters).

Possible red flags: much incorrect spelling--may be tricky for new readers; separated parents; running away.

[Κόκκινη Αλεπού · Rating 3 out of 5]

Το βιβλίο της Dori Butler είναι καταρχάς ξεκαρδιστικό. Ιδανικό για παιδιά που τώρα κατακτούν την ικανότητα της ανάγνωσης (6-8 ετών), η ιστορία του ευέξαπτου και γκρινιάρη γάτου Σάιμον και του εντελώς ανορθόγραφου σκύλου Μπάξτερ – που γράφει το όνομα του Σάιμον πάντα μα πάντα λάθος – θα κάνει τα παιδιά, αν μη τι άλλο, να διασκεδάσουν πολύ διαβάζοντάς την.


Περισσότερα εδώ--> https://kokkinialepou.gr/agapito-teras/

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

My daughter really likes this author and I saw a book sample and thought it would be funny. At first it kind of is but it didn't take long to get more of a snarky feel from Simon and to get really annoyed by deciphering intentional misspelling (so intentional they have a 3 page "doggy dictionary" in the back of the book. It was a clear Simon is intellectually superior and Baxter is a simple minded dog focused on fun. I love the idea of an actual snail delivering mail.

[Ainsley Beneke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought the cat was being kind of rude because he wanted the dog to run away from Andy, the keeper. He did but then the cat felt bad and he wanted the dog to come back so he got the dog to come back and it sounded like the cat got a little bit frustrated because he didn't like what the dog was writing or he was just mad because the dog wasn't writing it correctly. I thought he was being kind of mean but he might have just been angry.

[Rcltigger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Andy's cat Simon is not pleased to hear that his boy now has a dog at the other house that he lives at. He begins a correspondence with the beast to encourage him to leave as he believes that Andy only needs one pet. For REASONS, other animals are pulled into their correspondence as well. Cute story with fun banter between Simon and Baxter.

[Em · Rating 5 out of 5]

Early Chapter Book

I think this book is a hoot. Cat, named Simon, doesn't want the dog, named Baxter, aka The Beast, to be his human's pet at his human's father's house. Exchange of letters back and forth shows Simon's annoyance that the dog is still there and Baxter is just trying to be friends. Then there is a twist.... and you'll have to read the story to find out what happens.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

A super cute pen pal situation between a dog and cat that share a little boy. It touches briefly on having two homes (divorced parents). My favorite part is the "Doggy Dictionary" in the back of the book.

[Peacegal · Rating 3 out of 5]

How cute is this? Shades of the "Dog Diary vs. Cat Diary" Internet meme are on display here as a dog and cat write letters back and forth to each other, debating the "sharing" arrangement for their person. Other animals get involved, too.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is laugh-out-loud funny as it shows the correspondence between a cat and a new family dog (who the cat, in typical cat fashion, calls The Beast). The persnickety cat and the laid-back dog do not agree on how to be the family pet.

[Noah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like that they just keeping doing letters right back and forth to each other. And I also like that the dog spells a lot of words wrong so at the end of the book it shows Doggy Dictionary so it shows all the words that he did wrong and then it shows what they actually are.