Houndsley and Catina and the Quiet Time Ages 4-8

The creators of the E. B. White Read Aloud winner HOUNDSLEY AND CATINA offer a charming sequel about taking time out from the hustle and bustle.

The first snow of winter has fallen, and Houndsley is very happy, as he loves the quiet time. Catina does not like the quiet time, however, and she does not enjoy being snowed in. What about all her plans for the day? What if their evening concert has to be canceled? With a bit of pretending, a few books and board games, a flourish of creativity, and
some time to dream, Houndsley helps Catina let go of her worries and enjoy the snowy day, wherever it might take them.

Houndsley and Catina and the Quiet Time

By James Howe, Marie-Louise Gay

Illustrated by Marie-Louise Gay

Edition: illustrated

Published by Candlewick Press, 2008

ISBN 0763633844, 9780763633844

42 pages

From Booklist
Emergent readers will enjoy the latest outing featuring this appealing cat-and-dog friendship. The first winter storm finds the duo snowed in while preparing for the evening’s community concert. Houndsley loves the quiet time, while Catina is hopping mad that she is stuck inside. Finally, neighbors shovel them out and the concert takes place after all. Gay’s delicate watercolors capture the delight of a wintry day, and Howe’s on-target portrayal of friends who get along despite bumps along the way make this special. Grades K-2, ages 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. --Bina Williams

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.

ABC Read Aloud Award Winner 2007 Houndsley and Catina Ages 5-7 Aloud, Ages 7-10 Alone

Winner - 2007 E.B. White Read Aloud Award For Picture Books

Houndsley and Catina
By James Howe
llustrated by Marie-Louise Gay
$14.99 HC / $4.99 PA
Candlewick Press

Catina wants to be a famous writer. Houndsley is an excellent cook. Catina thinks Houndsley is a wonder. Houndsley thinks Catina is a very good friend. So what should Houndsley say about Catina's seventy-four-chapter memoir? And can Catina find the right words of comfort for Houndsley after the big cooking contest fiasco? James Howe's funny and endearing world of ginger tea, no-bean chili, and firefly watching is brought to life in cozy watercolors by Marie-Louise Gay in this tender chapter book about what it means to be friends.

From the Committee:
Although this book falls in the Early Reader category, the committee chose this book as the recipient of the E.B. White Read Aloud Award for Picture Books because of the wonderful relationship between James Howe's writing and Marie-Louise Gay's illustrations. Committee members felt that the lovely relationship between the two main characters was an evocative update on classic friendship stories like Frog and Toad and George and Martha.

From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 2 Ages 5, 6, 7 Catina, who has just completed Life Through the Eyes of a Cat, looks forward to winning prizes and being famous. Houndsley thinks that the book is terrible, but spares her feelings by telling her that her writing leaves him speechless. He is such a good cook that Catina and their friend Burt convince him to enter a cooking contest, but he is so nervous that he undercooks the rice and leaves out the beans in his three-bean chili. In the end, Houndsley realizes that he is happy to experience the joy of cooking; he can live without fame, and Catina confesses that she does not enjoy the process of writing. Houndsley suggests that she can be famous for something else and tells her that she is good at being a friend. Catina purrs: Being your friend is better than being famous. Gay presents distinctive watercolor, pencil, and collage illustrations in varying layouts to illuminate the story. The dog and cat exude emotion and motion in modest, vintage homes and beautiful outdoor settings. This intimate look at friendship is a welcome addition to series such as Arnold Lobel's Frog and Toad (HarperCollins) and Elissa Haden Guest's Iris and Walter (Harcourt). Laura Scott, Farmington Community Library, MI
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
Gr. 2-4 Ages 7, 8, 9, 10, younger for reading aloud. Catina (a cat) and Houndsley (you guessed it, a dog) are best friends, and they encourage each other as best friends do. Houndsley is mortified when he reads his friend's novel-in-progress, and realizes that Catina has little writing talent. "I'm at a loss for words," he finally musters, satisfying Catina, who seems focused on literary prizes and fame instead of the actual writing. Then Catina encourages Houndsley to enter a cooking competition, and he's so nervous that he fouls the recipe and endures the judges' mockery. Together the friends confess that, rather than simply enjoying their activities, they secretly wanted to become famous. This early chapter book, while emphasizing doing what you love, not what will bring acknowledgment, is heavy-handed. But it will still hit home with kids just learning about their own particular talents and passions, and the lively, brisk writing is wonderfully extended in Gay's airy watercolor-and-pencil illustrations, which keep the focus on the caring friends. Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Stellaluna Storyline Online AudioBook

Stellaluna

By Janell Cannon
PREVIEW
http://www.storylineonline.net/

Edition: illustrated

Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2007

ISBN 0152062874, 9780152062873

42 pages

Stellaluna has been charming picture-book readers for years with its moving tale of a lost little bat who learns a big lesson about friendship. This bestseller has now been adapted as a board book, the perfect format to introduce younger readers to Janell Cannon's enchanting tale and gorgeous art.

Attacked by an owl, Stellaluna (a fruit ...

... bat) is separated from her mother and taken in by a bird and her nestlings. Dutifully, she tries to accommodate--she eats insects, hangs head up, and sleeps at night, as Mama Bird says she must ... more »--but once Stellaluna learns to fly, it's a huge relief when her own mother finds her and explains that the behavior that comes naturally is appropriate to her species. With a warm, nicely honed narration, Cannon strikes just the right balance between accurate portrayal of the bats and the fantasy that dramatizes their characteristics. Her illustrations, in luminous acrylics and color pencils, are exquisite. The appealingly furry, wide-eyed, fawn-colored bats have both scientific precision and real character; they're displayed against intense skies or the soft browns and greens of the woodland in spare, beautifully constructed (occasionally even humorous) compositions. Delightful and informative but never didactic: a splendid debut. (Picture book. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)

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