Early Readers - Houndsley and Catina

Houndsley and Catina by James Howe with Marie-Louise Gay as Illustrator 2006

Well, I think I found another decent Early Reader book. Maybe during my search I will find more than I originally thought I would. This one is what I would classify as a “Turn The Page”. (See earlier definition here.) James Howe of course is probably best known for his Early Readers of Pinky & Rex and the infamous Bunnicula series of books available in Chapter and Early Reader formats.

Howe has set this tale of two friends in a three-chapter layout that reads very smoothly. Houndsley (a dog) and Catina (a cat) are best friends and share many great moments together. But, the time has come where Houndsley must learn “how to be honest with a friend”, and whereas Catina needs to find a way to comfort Houndsley after an uncomfortable situation. Howe does a good job in telling the story in an uncomplicated manner, yet still gives enough details to make the story plausible and without being preachy. Each chapter can easily stand on its own and they actually blend very well with each other. This is an issue that I have seen a number of Early Reader’s stories struggle with. In addition, the book has some expressive and captivating artwork that makes it even more appealing. I would definitely recommend this for new readers ages 7 to 9. Plus, it would also make a nice read aloud for younger ones and can easily be broken down by the chapters for quick reads.