Officer Buckle and Gloria
by Whitney
I’ve wanted to spread the gospel about Officer Buckle and Gloria ever since I started writing for the Safety at Home blog. This charming fictional duo from a children’s book by Peggy Rathmann are the presenters of safety tips to auditoriums full of young people. Never stand on a swivel chair, they warn us.
Here’s the story: Officer Buckle has been known to put kids to sleep with his boring lectures on safety. But when a police dog named Gloria joins his road show, its popularity skyrockets. Why? Because behind Officer Buckle’s back, Gloria is performing amazing acrobatic tricks to act out the safety tips he describes. Unbeknownst to Officer Buckle, he is the straight man in a comedy routine.
When Officer Buckle says, “Never put a thumbtack where you might sit on it,” Gloria hops high into the air as if she just sat on a sharp object.
The audience loves the team, and they listen closely to the tips. No more accidents in Napville!
When a TV crew films one of his sessions and our straight man sees his performance on television for the first time, he realizes what has been going on and refuses to continue the shows. Of course, Gloria the dog becomes depressed.
As you may have guessed, the happy ending in this tale about teamwork brings the safety shows back on stage, but only after an unfortunate banana pudding accident knocks some sense into Officer Buckle about how valuable his safety advice is.
And the ultimate safety tip that ties it all together? Always stick with your buddy.
Recommended for kids 4-8.
Image from Penguin Group. Some rights reserved. Usage does not constitute endorsement.
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