Buddy Files Books In Order

Publication Order of Buddy Files Books

Buddy Files is the name of a literary series penned by Dori Hillestad Butler, an American woman of letters. Butler, who is a quinquagenarian, was born in 1965 in Fairmont, the US, and is domiciled in Kirkland upon Washington. Her niche is especially juvenile literature. Butler has penned over forty books and her bibliography encompasses picture books, plays, series of books, middle-grade books, and non-fiction literary work. Butler, who served as a librarian for three years in the run up to writing books and was formerly a ghostwriter, debuted in December 1996.

Buddy Files Series: Background
Writing Buddy Files series was neither a spur-of-the-moment decision nor circumstantial, according to author Dori Hillestad Butler. Butler, who has a soft spot for dogs and mystery books, has always been fascinated by animal-oriented therapy. Prior to writing this series, she often visited animal shelters (or pound, as referred to as in the series), seeking a potential therapy dog. And thus she chanced upon a dark and huge golden retriever which she adopted instantly. In the course of nine months that Butler trained the dog, now named Mouse, she got the muse and the rest is history. Anthropomorphism is a notable aspect in this series.

Buddy Files Series: Essentials
Among author Dori Hillestad Butler’s most renowned literary works is The Buddy Files series. Intended for young readers of chapter books, The Buddy Files series revolves a certified therapy dog which has a penchant for unraveling mysteries. There are presently six books in The Buddy Files series. There are fourteen editions of the first book in the said series. The first edition was initially published in March 2010, titled The Case of the Lost Boy, and this series is shelved under the mystery, animals, juvenile literature, chapter books, adventure, and fiction genres.

Another early book penned by Dori Hillestad Butler in The Buddy Files series is titled The Case of the Mixed-up Mutts. This is the second book in that series. There are currently twelve editions in this series and the first one was initially published in 2010.

Buddy Files Series: Protagonist(s) and Characterization
On the one hand, King is the featured protagonist in the book named The Case of the Lost Boy. On the other hand, Buddy is the featured protagonist in the book titled The Case of the Mixed-up Mutts. Even then both names denote a single dog; the difference resulted from renaming the dog in subsequent books.

Meet protagonist King (alternatively known as Buddy). Just like Dori Hillestad Butler’s real-life dog, the fictitious King is a golden retriever. As stated earlier, King is a therapy dog. In The Buddy Files series, it appears as a dog detective and the series is narrated from its viewpoint. In the formative pages of the series, King was originally owned by a family comprising of Kayla, Dad, and his mother (she is serving in the National Guard) but its ownership changes hands after a fateful event; as such, it is presently taken care of by Connor, hard on the heels of adoption; its adoptive family, which renamed him Buddy, comprises of Connor and his mother (a schoolteacher) but does not have a father. Buddy’s adoptive family has since relocated from California to Minnesota after Connor’s parents divorced. Buddy’s favorite meals include cheerios and bacon.

Buddy Files Series: The First Two Books’ Plot
In author Dori Hillestad Butler’s first book in The Buddy Files series, The Case of the Lost Boy, King has a full plate, literally. First, King’s original owners are unaccounted for after they went for a vacation. Secondly, King was left at an animal shelter, or the pound, awaiting adoption. Third, his new adoptive family has since renamed him Buddy. Fourth, adoptee King is warming up to adopter Conner when the latter vanishes. Fortunately, a friendly dog and a nameless cat are out to help the witty King.

In the second book in The Buddy Files series, The Case of the Mixed-up Mutts, King is still trying to trace his former masters when another matter comes up. Two dogs, named Jazzy and Muffin, have been exchanged by mistake at an animal shelter because they resembled one another. Having experienced how it feels being separated from a family, King resolves to reunite the two dogs with their actual families. King’s current family has since put a microchip on him for easier tracking.

Buddy Files series: Awards
Children’s book writer Dori Hillestad Butler has clinched and been nominated for a number of literary awards. In 2011, Butler cliched the Edgar Award, in the Best Juvenile category, for her 2011 book The Case of the Lost Boy. The said book has also featured in the master lists of Monarch Award (2012), Concheco Readers’ Award (2010/2011), and Texas Bluebonnet Award (2011/2012). It was also nominated for the Goldfinch Award (2011/2012).

Elsewhere, Butler’s 1998 book named M is for Minnesota was nominated twice in 1999: (Northern) Minnesota Book Award. Her 1999 named Trading Places with Tank clinched the Black-Eyed Susan Book Award (2006/2007). All in all, Butler’s books have been nominated many times for different literary awards, sometimes simultaneously.

Buddy Files: Best Books
The first three books are the best: The Case of the Lost Boy, The Case of the Mixed-up Mutts, and The Case of the Missing Family. The Case of the Missing Family is the third book in The Buddy Files series. The Case of the Missing Family expounds on the first two books series. Hereby, Buddy’s life has transitioned. Even then, his quest for tracing his beloved first family has not dampened. He chances upon a group of men moving household goods from his former owner’s house and putting them in a car. Buddy makes a daring dash for it, hoping to use the opportunity to trace his real owners.

Other Book Series You May Like
Readers who liked The Buddy Files series also liked these series. The first one is called Anna Hibiscus series penned by Atinuke. Anna Hibiscus is the protagonist; Hibiscus’ mother is Canadian while her father is African; she has twin siblings. The series is all about Hibiscus’ enjoyable vacation in Africa. The second one titled Jasper John Dooley penned by Caroline Adderson. This features protagonist Jasper John Dooley, a captivating and humorous character; he is the sole child in their family and has adoring parents.

The third one is called Jigsaw Jones Mystery series, written by James Preller. This features protagonist Jigsaw Jones, who is an impressive detective, and contagonist Mila. Generally, these are a series of detective fiction books for middle-grade pupils.