Cynthia Stevenson Books

My five year old has been loving Henry and Mudge for months now and we have checked every one of them out of the local library. We finally decided we just had to know how the story all began and saw a reference to The First Book. We quickly ordered it and couldn't be more pleased. The story explains the beginnings of Henry's deep attachment to Mudge. These are wonderful books. I don't know anyone we have recommended them to who hasn't fallen in love with Henry and Mudge.

My sons adore Henry and Mudge. These books are fun for them to read, and the classic "boy and his dog" characters are very endearing, particularly big, drooly Mudge. Well-written and entertaining, this series is great for kids who think they don't like to read or who have trouble reading, because they're funny and easy enough so that the child won't get bored or frustrated trying to read it. A definite must-have for any kid's bookshelves.

I bought some of these Henry & Mudge books for my 9 year old nephew Buddy when he was in the second grade. I gave him one or two, he read them, and kept asking me Are you bringing anymore of Henry & Mudge. I said Yes do you like them and he said Yes. Now my youngest son Ramon who is 7 loves them. The stories and the pictures are great for children and are perfect for second graders. I would recommend them to any second grader in a HEARTBEAT.

My son was reluctant to read in his elementary school days. This series caught his attention and by the time he finished all the books in the series that we could find he was intrigued enough with reading to go on to other books. Now, he is a high school senior with stellar SAT scores. I'll give partial credit to Henry and Mudge!

As of this writing, there are some 20+ Henry & Mug books, each one a small masterpiece. However, this is the one that started it all!!

Everything great or small has it's beginning, and in the beginning of THIS book, which begins, in turn, the whole series, we meet our hero, Henry. Henry lives with mom and dad, but he really doesn't have any friends. No other children live on his block, he doesn't have any brothers or sisters. So, he asks for a dog. That dog is Mudge who swiftly goes from a teeny, handful-sized puppy to the 180-pound pooch we know and love through the rest of the series.

What makes H&M books so wonderful are the bright, simple illustrations that mirror the text and the easy realism of Mudge the dog. Unlike other fictional dogs, Mudge doesn't talk, walk about on his hind legs or save the universe: he is just a big, happy, loving pooch who, like dogs everywhere, is totally dedicated to his pal, Henry. He's like a real dog... a real BIG dog, but a real dog nonetheless. He falls asleep when he's bored, he follows Henry everywhere and is unhappy when Henry's not around, and occasionally he eats things he's not supposed to. Practically any child would love to have a companion like Mudge.

H&M are one of those rare types of books that easily fall between two categories: picture books and chapter books. They're well illustrated and the text is simple and easy to read, but the story is also divided up into chapters (usually three). This makes these books perfect for young readers who may feel that they are starting to move beyond picture books but may not be ready for full-blown chapter books with little or no illustrations. The stories are simple and comfortable and the stuff of everyday life, so a child doesn't need to have a great deal of worldly experience climbing mountains or leaping tall buildings in a single bound to see that reading can be fun.

If you start here with Henry & Mudge, by all means, don't stop here! Go on to enjoy all the other adventures that these two share! You and your children will never be disappointed!

Another one of our family favorites from the series. We especially like the humor in Snow Glory and the story of the Kittens. We have nearly all the Henry & Mudge stories. This one is on our top 5 list.

These are such wonderful books about a boy named Henry and the frienship that he shares with his big 180 pound dog Mudge. Nice Illustrations and easy to understand stories. They are great books and my 9 year old nephew loved these when he was in second grade. I bought some of these for him when he was 7. Now my son Ramon who is 7 loves them too.

In Henry and Mudge in Puddle Trouble you'll see how kids sometimes don't listen to their parents even when they want to. When Henry doesn't listen to his mother's advice about the Morning Glory will he able to fix the problems it causes? Find out why listening to your parents is important when you read this book. If you are the kind of kid who doesn't listen to your mom then this is the book for you. Check out other books in the Henry and Mudge series like Henry and Mudge and the Best Test.

my son needed to read by himself. his teacher told me to get him the henry and mudge books. he really likes to read these

This book is great!!! I think one of your children would give it 5 stars. The kittens are very cute.

The Henry and Mudge series is among the favorite list in our house. We discovered it at the library and have read them all now.
This is a typically book in the series and tells the story about how Henry, Henry's Dad, and Henry's big dog Mudge survive a gloomy February weekend.
Highly recommended to Mudge lovers everywhere!

This is an easy-to-read book about being caught inside on a nasty day. My 1st grader read this book to the family on a cold, nasty February Saturday morning. It was a great "text-to-text" connection to have a book about being trapped inside on a weekend morning--we could totally identify. And later, the book inspired my kids to make their own couch-cushions fort instead of complaining about being bored!

The Henry and Mudge books are such a wonderful series. The charming water color and ink pictures--and the realistic kid adventures--create an engaging experience for early readers. The author does an almost magical job relaying the fears, temptations and ambitions of childhood. Also, many kids can identify with Henry's passionate love for his big dog, Mudge. Plus, this series will appeal to both boys and girls.

The series is at the 1st grade reading level. This book is a "chapter" book (not a "baby" book) with 3 Chapters, and about 40 pages of half text, half artwork. (Just to give you an idea of the reading level, the Henry and Mudge books are easier than Magic Tree House, but harder than the advanced Bob books.)

Note: you might want to purchase Henry And Mudge First Book before this book or with this book. It introduces the characters used in the rest of the series.

Enjoy!
P. Gould, co-author of Feeding the Kids: The Flexible, No-Battles, Healthy Eating System for the Whole Family (Fork and Spoon Field Guides) (Fork and Spoon Field Guides)

I really like this book--how the parents think that Henry is important enough for their time and energy, how they eat pizza, how the dog just chews a boot and is a sweet, goofy dog. Rylant captures "real" family life and the importance of our kids, and I thank her for that.

I love the story line. A family working together on a yukky weekend minus the TV to do something fun. I esp. loved the picture of mom sitting at the table reading the paper while dad and son were building the castle in the basement. My kindergartener loved it! We will definitely read more of these books!

Our names are Luisa, Casey, Tom, Joshua, Tim, Megan, Alex, and Janae. We read Henry and Mudge and the Long Weekend. Here is our summary of the book: Henry and Mudge got up one Saturday Morning in February and looked outside. The weather was disgusting. They couldn't go outside and there was nothing to do. Everything was boring to Henry and Mudge. They were so bored that Henry and Mudge went to sleep on the couch with Dad. Henry's mother had the idea to make a castle out of the big refrigerator and stove boxes. Henry, Mom, and Dad started making the castle. Mom drew, Dad cut, Henry stapled, and Mudge chewed an old boot. The family woke up the next morning and started to work on the castle. Mom read the newspaper and drank coffee. Henry and his father finished the castle. They showed it to Mom. It looked nice. It looked like a real castle. Mom, Dad, Henry, and Mudge had a good weekend!

This is a great story for kids of all ages. It was especially a good one for my kindergartner who had to leave all the toys behind. Cynthia Rylant has great books, but this one is a favorite.

This book is very touching and easy for the children to relate to. Also a great comparison to Kevin Henkes "Owen"

What a great book for connection to real life. I wonder how many kindergarteners could relate to wanting to take a special reminder from home. I like its illustrations and the problem solving by Grandma. Any parent could do the same. A great book for all children.

This book is just perfect for any child! As always Miss Rylant captures your heart and makes you remember what it is like to be a child again. We love her stories in our house! Great bedtime story, you will not be sorry making this purchase.

"Once there was a little girl who owned a ticky-tacky doll. It was ticky, her mother said, because Grandmama had made it from sewing scraps. And it was tacky because pieces of cloth hung from it like soft bits of hair..." The little girl loved her doll more than anything, and they were never apart. And then one day everything changed. It was time for the little girl to go to school. "When children go to school, toys are left behind." With each day, the little girl grew sadder and sadder. She didn't make friends or play with the other children. She didn't learn her letters, or numbers, or even eat her snack. "What is wrong with this little girl? they asked. No one knew." But her wise grandmama knew, and had a clever solution to solve the little girl's problem.....Cynthia Rylant's heartwarming story of change and separation is told with great empathy and sensitivity. Her gentle text is complemented by Harvey Stevenson's expressive illustrations, that change from dark somber tones of sadness to bright cheerful colors, as the little girl conquers her fears. With its reassuring, happily-ever-after ending, The Ticky Tacky Doll is a wonderful story many youngsters will identify with, and makes a wonderful read-aloud the entire family can share and discuss together.

We have many of the Henry & Mudge stories. We love the humor, thoughtfulness, and the way the love and bond between a child and his dog is captured in these stories. This one is a favorite of mom and dad. We would probably read it without reading it to the children - because of the memories this story brings back of visits to the beach. The children, of course, also love it!

The winsome, colorful illustrations in the Henry and Mudge books are delightful. I used to read the series when I was in elementary school. This one, for whatever reason, has remained my favorite and is actually the only one I owned personally. Any fellow dog-loving children should enjoy learning to read and explore with Henry and Mudge, as well as other book series like 'Nate the Great,' a detective. Recommended.

My 1st grader just loves Henry and Mudge books. They are "chapter" books-- and not "baby" books. But, they are easy to read. (Easier than Magic Tree House, for example.) Plus, this series appeals to both boys and girls (but especially boys).

This particular books captures the essence of going on a trip to the beach: the anticipation, the long drive, the waves, the crabs. This book would also make a good read-aloud for a younger child about to go on a trip to the beach.

Note: you might want to purchase Henry And Mudge First Book before this book or with this book. It introduces the characters used in the rest of the series.

Enjoy!
P. Gould, co-author of Feeding the Kids: The Flexible, No-Battles, Healthy Eating System for the Whole Family

I picked this book out at our local library for my two year old daughter because she loves dogs and the beach. It turned out to be such a big hit that I am buying it! She of course can't read, but enjoyed the story and pictures very much. She loves Mudges playfullness and had just been to the beach recently so she could relate to Henry and his father playing in the water. The length of the story is just right also for her. It's a wonderful book and we are buying two more from the series besides this one!

...Cynthia Rylant has created a beautiful gift - not for the child saying goodbye to five, but for the parents who are smiling through tears as they remember the transformation of their tiny infant to a full fledged "kid." ...

Wow! I picked this up by chance at the library and we read it on my daughter's first birthday (yesterday). What a special book! Both the story and the pictures capture little kids' personalities so perfectly at their various phases. The book shows a little girl's first few birthdays, starting with her birth, and emphasizes her development and the bonds between her and her parents. It's really more of a book about parents and how we love our kids than a kids' book, but my daughter liked it, too. It's a bit of a tearjerker-- keep in mind that it's an emotional time for us, since it's hard to believe that our little baby is a year old already-- but I got a little weepy and my husband got a lump in his throat while reading it. It's just a perfect book for us-- it captures our joy at our daughter's birthday and our nostalgia for the past year. Since it covers the little girl's first several birthdays, it also gives us a chance to look forward to birthdays to come. I'm so glad I happened upon it, and I'm now purchasing a copy to keep.

I have now found the perfect book to give to all of my friends and family members on the special occasion of the birth of a new baby! Cynthia Rylant's 'Birthday Presents' is a touching story about the beauty of family traditions. As a new baby comes into their life, the parents make each birthday special by giving meaningful, non-commercial, oral traditon gifts to their child as she grows up. Each year the whole family revels in the pleasures of the heartwarming tokens. As the child grows older, she realizes how wonderful it is to share important memories. The family is setting up lasting traditions that create a sense of belonging and a sense of joy. Finally, the little girl continues the tradition by giving the parents a very special gift for their anniversary. I wholeheartedly reccommend this book to anyone and everyone.

Another in the series of Henry and Mudge's adventures. My little one loves this and the rest of the books. I would recommend this for a first/second grader. The stories are interesting and challenging to read for that level. She loves them.

This is one of our favorites - for the whole family. We like the humor and thoughtfulness of the story. This one is on our top 10 list from the series

These funny, easy to read chapter books are a favorite in our house. Henry and his drooling dog, Mudge are the best of friends and love one another tremendously. In this story, Henry and Mudge learn to love a bedraggled cat that looks like "mushed prunes". The illustrations add to the humor of the story.

My 1st grader loves reading Henry and Mudge books. The charming water color and ink pictures, and the realistic kid adventures, create an engaging experience for early readers. The author does an almost magical job relaying the fears, temptations and ambitions of childhood. And many kids can identify with Henry's passionate love for his big dog, Mudge. Plus, this series will appeal to both boys and girls.

The series is at the 1st grade reading level. This book is a "chapter" book (not a "baby" book) with 3 Chapters, and about 40 pages of half text, half artwork. (Just to give you an idea of the reading level, the Henry and Mudge books are easier than Magic Tree House, but harder than the advanced Bob books.)

This particular book is about Henry's adventures with a new spy kit and with making a new friend. It's a lighthearted tale with a few good laughs.

Note: you might want to purchase Henry And Mudge First Book before this book or with this book. It introduces the characters used in the rest of the series.

Enjoy!
P. Gould, co-author of Feeding the Kids: The Flexible, No-Battles, Healthy Eating System for the Whole Family (Fork and Spoon Field Guides) (Fork and Spoon Field Guides)

I bought a bunch of these for my 9 year old nephew who was 7 and he loved them. This one he really liked. He enjoyed reading about the adventures of Henry and Mudge. These books are fun, enjoyable, entertaining, and easy to read. I've read some myself and my son Ramon who is now in second grade loves them too. His cousin loves them as a second grader now he loves them. These are great starter books to help kids on their way to reading. They really motivate kids to read because of the funny, and entertaining stories.

Henry buys a spy kit. He and his dog, Mudge, canvas the neighborhood to "flirt with danger" and "steal secrets". One day Henry finds a secret code and is determined to crack it. Funny, adorable, irresistable Mudge is a favorite at house! He can even get my reluctant reader eager to see what happens next. Easy reading level with short chapters gives the hesitant reader a real sense of accomplishment.

I can't say enough about this series. It's amazing. I have actually bought the whole series & just put it away. Every time my daughter gets a new one she has to read it over & over again.

Henry takes his loveable, unruly dog to obedience school. Henry is terribly nervous. Will Mudge sit on a puddle? Will he drool on the teacher's foot? Mudge might flunk dog school! At the end of the eight weeks Mudge and Henry must take the "Big Test". Henry and Mudge are top choice for my 8 year old son who is a reluctant reader. Mudge has definitely found a place in his heart! Short chapters, adorable pictures and funny story make this book a hit!

This is a very fun book with wonderful pictures drawn in pen and ink and watercolor. After seeing a very obedient dog walk by his house, Henry and his mom decide it might be a good idea to take Mudge--their big, slightly wild and sloppy dog--to obedience school. Henry is worried: "He thought Mudge might drool on the teacher's foot. Or sit on a poodle by mistake. Or not even stay awake long enough to do anything."

The book is funny and teaches kids some fundamentals about training dogs. If Mudge can do it, maybe your dog can do it too!
The book is rated at "level 2--reading with help" by the publisher, and it has enough repetition and short sentences for the beginning reader. However, the humor and great picture make an interesting as well as readable book!

The characters of Henry, a little boy, and his big dog Mudge, a St. Bernard almost as big as Henry, appeal to my four-year-old. The easy-to-read, fun to listen to style that Cynthia Rylant brings to these stories is so welcoming that they invite you in like a warm and cozy home on a cold winter's night. These three short stories are just a few of the everyday adventures in the life of Henry and Mudge, told with catchy phrases and lots of character expressions to expose the loving friendship that they embrace. With bedtime a challenge for a pre-schooler (who has a wild immagination), we find this particular book a comforting and reassuring way to end a long day. We highly recommend this entire series, but expecially this selection. Our next favorite is "Puddle Trouble," but do read them all!

Massive Mudge is much more than a mere mutt. He is a tail-wagger, toenail-chewer, moth-eater, and breaker of grandmother's things. Most importantly however, he is Henry's best friend. Beginning readers will feel right at home amongst the words and illustrations of Rylant's tender story about a boy and his bog on a visit to grandmother's house. Unobtrusively, Stevenson's iluustrations harmonize with Rylant's words. Where Rylant describes grandmother's "strange house with a dark yard," Stevenson contributes a double-page illustration depicting the darkness of the yard where a racoon, owl, and assorted bats live. The images buttress the comprehension and readability of challenging words without suffocating them in a sea of lines and color. For example, as Henry voices his anxieties about a bear, bobcat, moth, and mouse, simplistic cartoon-like pictures of each animal are nearby, offering visual clues. Chapters punctuate the book's action-filled but will not intimidate young readers, for the five-word lines within do not exceed 10per page. Lengthy words like "fingernails" appear repeatedly and readers can dissect protracted sentences into more manageable chunks with assistance from commas and brief lines: "Henry bit his fingernails, (new line) Mudge bit his toenails, (new line)and the car drove on." Inexperienced readers, reassured by the resolution of Henry's realistic woes of sleeping in a strange new setting, will see this young dog-lover and comic-book-reader as a contemporary and as a source of comfort. With confidence in their reading, children will become lost in this Henry and Mudge adventure.