Puppy Mudge Takes a Bath - Puppy Mudge Author:Cynthia Rylant Meet Mudge! Henry's puppy, Mudge, loves to roll in the mud. But he doesn't like to take a bath! It's fun, though, when Henry joins him in the tub and they both come out sparkling clean — but not for long.... — Marilyn Courtot - Children's Literature — If you remember the books with Dick, Jane and Spot, this one will se... more »em pretty familiar. It follows a similar pattern, "This is Henry, This is Henry's Puppy Mudge, Mudge Loves Mud." There seems to be a little bit of a trend—taking favorite characters and making stories appropriate for even younger readers. In this "Ready-to-Read," Pre-Level 1 book, kids meet Henry and Mudge. They join Henry as he gives Mudge a bath (ignoring the mud he tracked into the house) and then will get a laugh when the process has to be repeated again.
School Library Journal
PreS-Gr 1-This slight tale is tailored to the needs of beginning readers with a vocabulary of approximately 40 words. Rylant casts her well-loved characters in a prequel set during Mudge's puppy days. The irresistible pooch loves getting muddy, but doesn't love baths. Henry solves this dilemma by getting in the tub with him. Mones's serviceable pen-and-ink and watercolor cartoons, done in the style of Su ie Stevenson's work, exaggerate the dog's charms. However, neither puppy Mudge nor Henry looks noticeably younger than in the earlier books; in fact, if you go back, you'll see that puppy Mudge looks nothing like the dog depicted in the original series. Though the pup is as engaging as always, this derivative spin-off does not meet the high standards set by the original series.-Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.« less