Lately I've been enjoying the series by Cynthia Rylant about Henry and
Mudge, a likable red-headed kid and his great big drooly dog. When I
came across the Puppy Mudge series, I had to snatch up a few of those
books too. Though Mudge is identified as a puppy, he looks just as big
as ever to me.
The only thing smaller about this series is the
number of pages - and sentences and words. While the Henry and Mudge
books are a level 2 on the Ready-to-Read scale, indicating that they are
intended for independent readers, the Puppy Mudge series is pre-level
1, "recognizing words". This series is for children who are just
beginning to learn to read.
In Puppy Mudge Has a Snack,
Mudge is hungry. Henry has something yummy with which to occupy
himself, but poor Mudge has nothing. Henry knows what Mudge wants, but
he is reluctant to relinquish his snack to his hungry young dog. Surely,
though, he can get Mudge a snack of his own...
This is a very
simple story. With a single exception, there is only one sentence per
page, if that. The bulk of the 26-page book focuses on Mudge's varied
attempts to get something crunchily delicious out of young Henry. Isidre
Mones' illustrations are in the style of Sucie Stevenson, who furnished
cartoonish pictures for most of the Henry and Mudge books. Though we
don't see either of Henry's parents in this book, Henry is well
realized, and Mudge is always entertaining, jumping up on Henry's lap,
drooling and trying to look cute.
Puppy Mudge Has a Snack
is a great starter story for preschoolers just becoming familiar with
the written word, and once they've graduated to more complicated reading
material, nearly thirty Henry and Mudge books await.
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