Henry and Mudge and the best day of all

This was a sweet book all about a little boy, and his big birthday celebration day. I think this book would be great for a 3rd grader that is learning to read and move away from picture books. It can also make kids excited and inspired about their own birthday, and eventually make them want to read more and dream about their special days.

I love how relatable this book is. Who hasn't been excited to celebrate its birthday? I think this book is perfect for early readers; it's very colorful and full of images.

I liked this book for a few reasons. For one, I liked the illustrations because they contained vibrant colors. I think these illustrations would capture the attention of younger students for a longer time than if they were in black and white. Also, I liked the plot because I think the events that happened in it are relatable to kids. In the story, it is one of the main character’s, Henry’s, birthday party. There are multiple activities that are mentioned throughout the story. For example, the story explains how, “Henry’s mother and Henry’s father had fixed games. There was ring toss. There was go-fishing. There were potato-sack races. And hanging from the tree was a big blue piñata.” Kids reading this story may relate to show more some of the activities Henry had at his party that may be similar to activities they have at their parties. Finally, I liked the writing because I think it was paced well. I think all the events were described at a pace that would keep younger students engaged without getting bored. The big message of Henry and Mudge and the Best Day of All is that celebrations are more fun when you have someone to share them with. This was evident throughout the book because every event that Henry was part of, Mudge was as well. show less

While Kirkus might have called the Henry and Mudge series "gently philosophical", little of that tone can be seen in this installment, the 14th in the on-going adventures of red-headed Henry and his giant dog Mudge. Unlike the common easy reader pattern of establishing a few vignette chapters before integrating outside material, Henry and Mudge and the Best Day of All progresses linearly, with each chapter clearly related to those that came before it. Essentially, this installment in the series describes Henry's birthday, which starts with pancakes and strawberries, moves on to party games and pinatas, and ends with a cake. Mudge also gets in on the action, eating crackers from the pinata and posing in family photos.

The chapters in show more this book are longer and fewer than in beginning-level readers, but the consistent use of repetition and short, clear sentences will still be useful to kids learning to read on their own. The loose, cartoonish illustrations and action-filled scenes give the story a sense of fun. While not particularly original, this book will probably have significant appeal to its target audience--white, middle-class American boys. Recommended for grades 2 through 4. show less

This book is divided into little chapters for early readers transitioning from picture books to something with more text. I think this is a very sweet book about a boy named Henry and his dog Mudge. This book focused on Henry's birthday and what him and his family and friends did to celebrate. The book talks about how it was the best day because both the boy and dog got to eat a lot of snacks!

This is a book that follows a young boy's birthday through spending time with his dog and family, having a wonderful party, and relaxing after the chaos of the day. I would use this as an individual read in my classroom because students could read it specifically when it's their birthday to feel special. This book is for K-2 graders because it has simple words and short chapters.

This book follows a boy named henry as he celebrates his birthday with yummy food, fun games, a party, and time with his family with his dog mudge who is his best friend. It is a super fun read that could be accomplished by primary readers and has very colorful and engaging illustrations to keep help them understand what is going on and develop better literacy skills.