Henry and Mudge Soothe Tots' Weather Woes

I am not fond of thunderstorms. They make me very nervous, with all that wind lashing, thunder crashing and lightning flashing. When storms like this come, I huddle under a blanket, trying to ignore what is happening outside. But as anxious as such weather makes me, it's nothing compared to the reaction of my dog, who whines piteously and shivers in her cave under the computer desk. So I can relate to Henry and Mudge and the Wild Wind, the twelfth book in a series of easy readers by Cynthia Rylant and illustrated by Sucie Stevenson.

Though the book is separated into four parts - Some Wind (pre-storm), Pows and Booms and The Enemy Couch (mid-storm) and Above Their Heads (post-storm) - it is one long story rather than several scarcely related ones, as one often finds in books for beginning readers. It begins on a windswept hill, where young, red-headed Henry is playing happily with Mudge, his great big dog. Suddenly it occurs to them that it might be a little too windy. Something is coming. Something bad.

Stevenson brings the weather to life with ominous grey clouds, streaks of wind gusts and bolts of lightning splitting the sky. Her illustrations showing how Mudge deals with the approaching storm are funny and familiar. He paces. He hides. He curls up into a miserable little ball. For such a big lug, he sure is wimpy. Henry's fear is not quite so transparent; he goes the King and I route and whistles to help boost his spirits. But while it may help him, all that whistling gets a little grating for his father, who cooks up a plan that will keep his son occupied, his dog comforted and his own sanity intact.

Henry and Mudge and the Wild Wind is written in a very simple style ideal for those just learning to read. About 35 pages long, its cartoonish artwork is light and fun, while the text, usually a few sentences per page, is engaging enough to maintain the attention of young readers, especially those who are spooked by storms or who have a beloved pet with whom they could share such an intimidating experience.