Cat and Dog Collide Contentedly in Henry and Mudge and the Happy Cat

I have one dog and three cats. Two of the cats don't like the dog, but Gandalf, the youngest of them, rather enjoys spending time with her, as long as she doesn't decide to chase him or pounce on him. This is probably a throwback to our first dog, who acted as a mother to Gandalf when he was just a kitten and his own mother was tired of putting up with him and his two littermates. Because he was largely raised by Sandy, he's not quite as leery of Mokey as the other two cats are. In any case, I've seen interspecies affection first-hand, so I can definitely relate to Henry and Mudge and the Happy Cat.

This eighth book in the series written by Cynthia Rylant and illustrated by Sucie Stevenson is, like most of the Henry and Mudge books, broken up into three sections - What Is It?, A Good Mother and A Surprise - that are part of one long story. Henry is an only child, but he's not lonely because he's got massive Mudge to keep him company. In this book, he also has a cat, since a bedraggled stray shows up at his house one day.

Henry's mustached father plays a larger role than usual in this book, and I find his input hilarious. He makes comment after scathing comment about the uninvited guest: "Are you sure it's a kitty?" "Do you think it knows it's that shabby?" "Don't put the cat's picture on [the posters], or we'll have that cat forever." He's just joking around, of course... Well, mostly.

Mudge doesn't mind the cat's strange appearance, which Henry describes as looking like "mashed prunes". He's glad to let the feline act as his mother, curling up with him for naps, cleaning his ears, teaching him the virtue of sharing his food and toys. But will happen when the folks around town start responding to the "found cat" posters?

Henry and Mudge and the Happy Cat is a delightful book, probably my favorite of the five books in the series that I have read so far. It's funny and touching with simple sentences for beginning readers complemented by lively drawings, especially those depicting the funny-looking cat's interactions with the enormous Mudge. A tail-wagging good time for anyone who's loved a cat or a dog, and especially those who've loved both.