When my family started our 30 Days of Reading Challenge, I knew I wanted to include some of the books that were part of our family’s childhood which is why we started the challenge with Amelia Bedila. I also wanted to choose books that are popular today but from a time that has gone by as well and I also wanted to include books that happen to be sitting on a recommended reading list.
I wanted to pull out some of the books that bring back memories. And Henry and Mudge is one of those series of books for our family. I remember reading these books with Charlie when he was little. But also Suzzane and my nephew David M because there was something so easy and comforting about sitting down with a child and opening one of these stories.
The books were written for young readers, with simple stories, plenty of illustrations, and characters children could easily connect with. And then there is Mudge. Mudge is Henry’s enormous dog and his best friend. Henry is an only child who is lonely because there aren’t any other children on his street. When he finds Mudge, he finds the companionship he has been missing. Their friendship became the heart of the entire series.
I love finding childrens books that have been around awhile and this series has been around for generations of readers to enjoy. The first Henry and Mudge book was published in 1987. That means this is a series that has been introducing children to reading for almost 40 years. That’s a whole lot of reading.
The series was written by Cynthia Rylant, with illustrations by Suçie Stevenson. The first book, Henry and Mudge: The First Book, is about 40 pages and was created as a Level 2 early reader. And the series didn’t stop with that first book. There are 28 Henry and Mudge titles in the Ready-to-Read series today. That gives a young reader quite a little collection to work through.
There are stories about seasons, holidays, adventures, family, friendship and everyday childhood experiences. The books are short enough that a beginning reader can feel the accomplishment of finishing an entire book, while the illustrations help keep the stories inviting and fun. And that is one of the things I love about books like these.
Sometimes a child doesn’t need a 300-page chapter book to feel like a reader. Sometimes they just need a story they enjoy, characters they love, and a book they can finish. Cynthia Rylant has written many books for children and young readers, but Henry and Mudge became one of her best-known series for beginning readers.
What I like about these stories is that they don’t have to be complicated to be meaningful. Henry and Mudge are simply a boy and his dog who love spending time together. There is friendship. There is family. There are little adventures. And there is the comfort of having someone—or something—who is always there for you. Those are things children understand.
This is where this series becomes especially special to me. I didn’t just read these books with Charlie. These are books that were part of the childhood reading memories of our family. I also remember reading them to David Michael when he was little, and Suzanne had these kinds of childhood books in her life too.
So when I think about Henry and Mudge, I’m not just thinking about a children’s book series that started in 1987. I’m thinking about little hands holding books. I’m thinking about sitting down and reading together. I’m thinking about children growing up and eventually becoming readers themselves.
And I’m thinking about how a book can stay with a family long after the child who first loved it has grown up. That’s one of the reasons I wanted Henry and Mudge to be part of our 30 Days of Reading Challenge. Reading isn’t only about the books we read today. Sometimes reading is about remembering the books we loved yesterday.
For our featured Henry and Mudge book, we’re starting at the beginning: Henry and Mudge: The First Book This is the book that introduces us to Henry and his giant dog, Mudge. Henry is lonely, and finding Mudge changes that. Their friendship is the beginning of a series that has gone on to include 28 Ready-to-Read titles.
If you have a young reader who is just beginning to read independently, this is exactly the kind of book I’d put in their hands. And if you’re an adult who remembers Henry and Mudge from your own childhood—or from reading them to your children—maybe this is a good day to pick one up again. Because sometimes the best books to introduce to a new generation are the ones that already have a little piece of our hearts in them.
Did your children read Henry and Mudge? Did you read them when you were growing up? Or is there another children’s book series that you remember reading with your children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews or siblings? Tell me about it. Because one of the best parts of our 30 Days of Reading Challenge isn’t just discovering new books. It’s remembering the books that helped make us readers in the first place.
Grateful, Thankful, and Blessed
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates