Houndsley and Catina and the Birthday Surprise Ages 4-8

"Published in beginning-reader format, this gentle story will appeal to children’s compassion as well as their sense of humor." — BOOKLIST

Houndsley is sad. Not because it’s raining or because there are holes in his sweater, but because he doesn’t know when his birthday is. And now Catina is sad, too. But friends are good at cheering each other up, and Houndsley and Catina are the best of friends. So it won’t be long before they each discover, in a most surprising way, how a first-rate friend can brighten even the saddest days.

Houndsley and Catina and the Birthday Surprise: Candlewick Sparks

By James Howe

Illustrated by Marie-Louise Gay

Edition: illustrated, reprint

Published by Candlewick Press, 2007

ISBN 0763636401, 9780763636401

48 pages

From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 2 Ages 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 –The personable canine and feline friends continue their adventures in this early reader. Houndsley tells Catina that he is sad because he doesn't know his birth date. Worried that he has made her sad, too–she doesn't know when her birthday falls, either–he decides to surprise her with a cake. Catina is up to her own surprises, though, and arranges a birthday party for her pal. Gay's soft watercolor-and-pencil illustrations with collage details are fun and lighthearted, and scenes are filled with activity and assorted sweet-looking animals. The ratio between text and pictures will appeal to new readers.–Sandra Welzenbach, Villarreal Elementary School, San Antonio, TX
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist
This sequel to Houndsley and Catina (2006) begins with Houndsley the dog feeling blue and his best friend, Catina the cat, wondering why. Walking in the rain with his pal, Houndsley admits that he is sad because he doesn't know when his birthday is. Catina confesses that she doesn't know her birth date either. Within days, each animal has found a way to cheer the other. Published in beginning-reader format, this gentle story will appeal to children's compassion as well as their sense of humor. Though the setting is a cold, sometimes-bleak autumn, Gay's pencil, watercolor, and collage artwork glows with warmth, style, and quiet pizzazz. An appealing book for independent readers in the early grades, the story will also make a good fall read-aloud for preschool classes. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.