Horn Book Review
Henry and his dad always make a crazy lunch for Mom on Mother's Day. This year, they create a pineapple sofa, complete with a reclining fruit family. They plan, shop, and cook, all with trusty Mudge at their side, and the lunch is a hit. These funny meal plans, paired with lighthearted illustrations, are sure to capture readers' imaginations. From HORN BOOK Fall 2003, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
K^-Gr. 2. Rylant continues her winning, 15-year-old Ready-to-Read series about a boy and his adored mutt, Mudge, with a Valentine's Day story. Henry's parents are off to a Sweetheart's Dance, and Henry is off to Mrs. Hopper, the baby-sitter. Henry is reluctant at first; he likes Mrs. Hopper, but her house, with its dark stone and "droopy trees," is scary. Luckily, Henry has enormous, happy-go-lucky Mudge, and once inside the Hopper home, Henry finds a real treat. Mrs. Hopper's father was an actor, and her house is filled with music and costumes--all the makings for an evening of fun. As usual, Rylant tells her warm story in clear, even language, introducing interesting words, such as gargoyle, that new readers will relish. As in Henry and Mudge and the Tall Tree House [BKL Ja 1 & 15 03], the cheery, colorful illustrations are by Bracken, who nicely continues the style set by the series' longtime artist, Sucie Stevenson. --Gillian Engberg
