Cynthia Stevenson Books

I think this is a very good book because it describes the fun-filled adventures Henry and Mudge have in full detail. What I mostly liked about the book was the vocabulary the author uses. The author uses simple words that everyone can understand so that people of all ages can join in on Henry and Mudge's good times.

I think this is a very good book because it describes the fun-filled adventures Henry and Mudge have in full detail. What I mostly liked about the book was the vocabulary the author uses. The author uses simple words that everyone can understand so that people of all ages can join in on Henry and Mudge's good times.

Henry and Mudge books are some of the best books available to beginning readers, and parents would be hard-pressed not to enjoy them as well. While a few of the books in the series show Henry's idyllically happy parents in a way that might make children from less traditional families sad or "homesick" for that situation, this particular book is purely about a little boy, his big dog, their imaginations, and being a kid in the summer. Cynthia Rylant's writing is fun yet poetic, and Sucie Stevenson's illustrations are charming as always.

My 4-year-old son, Frank, has 16 of the 18 (?) books that are available in this collection, and although all of them come hightly recommended, I believe Green Time to be the best. This book highlights all that is good about a boy and his dog. Rylant never personifies Mudge too much but depicts their relationship beutifully. When my son read about Mudge getting a bath, he giggled as each part was washed. But the biggest surprise was watching his sheer delight as Mudge shook from head-to-toe. He understands that Henry would cry when he gets stung by a bee, and he laughed when Mudge eats popcorn. These books are simple and kind, and I hope there are more.

Henry and Mudge are the best of friends. It doesn't matter at all that one of them walks on four legs and drools a lot!!

In this third book in the H&M series, summertime has arrived with adventures galore for boy & dog. Divided into chapters, each functioning as a mini story but related to each other, Henry and his 180-pound dog Mudge explore the wide, green world of summer. In one of the most notable chapters, a bee stings Henry, and boy does it HURT!! Fortunately, good ol' Mudge is there to make Henry feel better (a good face-licking by Mudge helps Henry forget his pain at being stung-Mudge likes the salty taste of tears).

As a teacher I love the H&M series because the illustrations are always bright, vibrant and immediately draw my students into the story. I also love the short, easy sentences, which are perfect for beginning-to-intermediate readers who feel that they're ready to tackle chapter books. As a parent, I love the way that this series is about the small adventures in life that are right on the level of the reader. Nothing blows up, aliens don't invade the countryside sucking out peoples' innards, and the world isn't narrowly saved from oblivion. Mudge is a wonderfully realistic dog that is completely devoted to Henry, like most real dogs are devoted to the children they live with.

As of this writing, there are some 20 H&M books, each a small treasure and each a wonderful read. Though they're numbered, it's not at all necessary to begin with #1 and progress up to #20; readers can grab whichever title catches their whim and follow along with the adventures. I myself have read them all and am not so patiently waiting for the next ones to come out. Each book comes highly recommended.

This book is very well-crafted. My seven-year-old enjoyed reading it, and I liked the illustrations and the emphasis on problem-solving skills. Henry and Mudge are experts at finding creative solutions.

Actually, I haven't read this book---my daughter did. To me. Shes a beginning reader and did quite well. She was able to enjoy the story and read it capably---which says something, I think, about the excellent quality of the author. The illustrations were fun, too. Henry's cousin, Annie, "deserves" a nice pet. Search out the perfect pet for her with Henry and his parents.

My name is Morgan ...... and I am six years old. I have read all of the Henry and Mudge books and this one is my all time favorite. I am a big pet fan and Annie finding the perfect pet (she got to choose from a bunch) made me very happy. I could not wait to turn the pages and find out which pet Annie would pick. I was very happy that she choose the cute white bunny. Henry and Mudge books are the best! And my mom loves them too!

Henry and Mudge continue to be some of our favorite book characters. My daughter, age 3, especially loves this wonderful book series, although my son, now 7, seems to be growing out of them just a bit. _Henry and Mudge and the Wild Wind_ is not our favorite Henry and Mudge book by any means (we like most the first four, dealing with the seasons of the year), but it fits the familiar format. Henry and Mudge find themselves outside when a summer storm approaches, and beat it for home, since both are a bit afraid of thunderstorms. At home, Mom and Dad make the home safe and cosy by closing windows and making hot chocolate. Although Henry is cajoled into playing a fun pretend game with Dad (a little too war-like for my tastes, though), Mudge can't quite be convinced that thunder isn't scary, but it all comes out OK in the end as they venture out in the fresh clean air after the rainstorm has passed. Although I can understand the book's attempt at making possibly scary things like thunderstorms less scary by showing children that others are afraid also, why put that thought in their heads at all? I'd rather my children enjoy Nature in all her aspects.

This is a favorite of my family, among many excellent Henry and Mudge books. Cynthia Rylant is both funny and poetic, and illustrator Sucie Stevenson is the perfect complement with her wistful watercolor illustrations. Henry's rescue of Mudge from "the enemy couch" is always met with giggles from my daughters.

Henry and his dog,Mudge must overcome their fears of a summer thunder storm. Henry tries to calm himself by whistling. Mudge whines, walks in circles, hides in the bathroom and even sticks his head between the couch cushions! This book is fun to read and has adorable illustrations. Mudge is a favorite in our household.

My youngest son Ramon now 7 loves these books. He always likes to read them over and over again. The stories are easy to read and the illustrations are great. He loved this book too. We both love the story of the family reunion. Even my 14 year old son enjoys reading them with him. He says that these books are really cool for little kids. These were also big with my nephew Wyatt who is 9 and in the fourth grade when he was in the second grade. He always used to ask me Do you have any more Henry & Mudge books the next time you come over. He enjoyed them as well and has a bunch of them. Great books to be passed to and from families to be enjoyed.

As usual in this cheerful series, Henry and his big dog Mudge are featured in three related stories, this time about a family reunion. They receive a letter labeled "invitation."

Henry loved invitations.
Mudge loved them, too,
because they usually
meant cake.

Much of the book's humor and warmth is structured by these boy-dog comparisons. Sucie Stevenson's pleasant watercolor and pen-and-ink drawings are loose, spacious, and casual. The story centers on old-fashioned extended family fun, but it is not quite as interesting or engaging as others in the series. Still, the portrayal of intergeneration and inter-species love is sweet. The publishers rate "Henry and Mudge in the Family Trees" as a "Level 2 Reading Together" book, and the book jacket says "Ages 6-8." Rylant and Stevenson have written many "Henry and Mudge" books, and you might want to explore some of their other books offered here.

Stumbling upon the Henry and Mudge books was like stumbling upon a gold mine. My first grader and my preschooler absolutely love these books. This one is my personal favorite but every one of these adventures is wonderful. Rylant uses simple words so beautifully. I can't think of a better way for us to help our children learn to love reading than by giving them books that tell great stories in such well-written fashion. Although the stories are about a boy and his dog, they appeal to my daughters, neither of whom even like dogs (or boys, for that matter). Six and seven-year olds should be able to read them for themselves, and younger children will love to hear them read over and over. If you're looking for a great series of books for 4-7 year olds, check out all of the books in this series.

My son loves this series of books. I adore that there are books that appeal to boys but are sweet at the same time. In this one Henry meets his cousin Annie who is very neat or is she. Recommended as a reader for 2-3rd grade.

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 book deals with learning to be around people who are different from you. In this case, Henry learns to deal with, and actually have fun with, a somewhat prissy cousin. I love how the book tackles the important concept of enjoying people who are different from you without introducing the disturbing idea of racial prejudice and other adult-type prejudices to young children (who are not prejudice to begin with!)

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

Both of my sons enjoy the Henry and Mudge series. In this installment, Henry's cousin Annie comes for a visit, but finding a common ground is not so easy. With some effort, and a little help from Mudge, Henry and Annie work it all out and have some fun along the way.

This is the 17th book in the easy-to-read series about a young boy Henry and his St.Bernard, Mudge. These short chapters outline a family camping trip. Loving relationships and peaceful setting combine with colorful drawings for an enjoyable book.

I liked this book because it's about camping and I like camping. The fish had a great picture. Henry's mother was setting up the camp and the really funny part was when Mudge unpacked a ham sandwich and it looked like a bunch of leaves. His dad brought his guitar and a smile on his face because he was happy to be camping. It was funny when Henry and Mudge thought that there were bears so they were hugging each other. I thought it was a good book because in the end Mudge does something really funny but you have to read the book to find out what it is.

This is the 17th book in the easy-to-read series abut a young boy Henry and his St. Bernard Mudge. These short chapters outline a family camping trip. Loving relationships and peaceful setting combine with colorful drawings for an enjoyable book.

In their 17th adventure together Henry & Mudge go camping with Henry's parent. Out at Big Bear Lake they take A Good Smelly Hike & have some sweet Green Dreams. While Henry's mother organizes the trip because she's been a Camp Fire Girl & Henry's dad brings along his guitar & a willing back, Henry and Mudge imagine what they'll see on their camping trip. Ah, here comes summer - let's go camping together! Great early reader. ()

We have every one of the Henry and Mudge books and have been reading them to our daughter since she was two. She is four now and she still loves them. We would reccommend these books for both boys and girls. There is a Henry and Mudge book for every occassion. Henry and Mudge and the Starry Night is perfect to prepare for a camping trip. The feeling of a campout comes through loud and clear and the story is delightful.

Like so many kids books, this one shows pancakes, suckers, bubble gum, taffy, little crackers, cake, ice cream, potato chips - repeatedly.

We avoid commercial TV and its brainwashing effects on what we eat... Wwhat a disappointment when our favorite characters to advertise this junk to us - no thanks!

This long and growing series is terrific for all kids, but especially only children. Although Henry has no siblings and his best friends are his dog Mudge and his cousin Annie (also an only, apparently in a one-parent household), with the exception of the first book, the series does not dwell on his sibling-free status. It simply presents a well-adjusted kid enjoying a wide range activities. Henry is constructive with his time (but not so much as to be unrealistic; see "Henry and Mudge and the Long Weekend"), sociable, not prone to loneliness and never portrayed as pining for a little brother or sister. As the parent of an "only", I find the whole series great for subtly conveying an affirmative message without beating it over the head.
To be sure, Henry's is a somewhat idealized, white-kid, small-town life and the books are not entirely p.c. - the illustrations of the family car never seem to picture seat belts and Henry's diet apparently includes lots of hot dogs, potato chips and refined sugar. But as part of a wider reading program, Henry and Mudge provide a great series of simple chapter books to be read to youngsters or read by beginning readers.

My children love this book. My 2 year old wanted this for hisbedtime story every night for 2 weeks. It is still one of hisfavorites. His 4 year old sister loves all of the Henry & Mudge books, but she especially loves this one. She keeps asking if we can have a pinata at her party. I like it because it is short enough for the whole book to be a bedtime 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. 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.)

This particular book deals with the excitement and fear of moving from one house to another. Annie, Henry's beloved frisbee throwing cousin, moves in next door to Henry. She is nervous about the move but ends up adjusting well. It would be a wonderful book for a family who is moving, but the fears described--and creatively dealt with--also apply to many other childhood transitions.

Note: you might want to purchase "Henry And Mudge the First Book" and also "The Careful Cousin" book before this book or with this book. Those two books introduce 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 give it a rating of three stars because it reminded me ofwhen I went to a baseball game and I saw a dog that looked just likeMudge. I like it a lot because it has good word choice and at the endyou don't know what is going to happen next. And what I didn't like was it didn't have action. I recommend this book to any age.

Nothing special. My 7 year old read it with no problem. She enjoys it and reads it regularly.

Level 2 readers are for kids reading independently and Henry And Mudge And The Big Sleepover provides another Henry and Mudge story with fine short chapters, varied sentence structure, and adventure. Here Henry is invited to a sleepover party and nighttime adventures seem to assure nobody will get to sleep, especially when a father decides to participate. Sucie Stevenson's drawings are fun embellishments.

This book features kid-friendly (bright and not too cluttered) illustrations and softly humorous text. Each of the 40 pages (divided into three short chapters) has pictures and just a few sentences, making this a great beginning reader's book or a fun story for adults to read out loud.

There is a nice message about variety: Mudge meets and enjoys other dogs; the snowman contest features many different snowman ideas and decorations... Light and simple, but done very well.