Cats and Dogs: MUTTS II [Paperback]

Patrick McDonnell (Author)

Book Description

Series: Mutts

McDonnell continues the madcap adventures of Earl the dog and Mooch the cat, stars of his popular syndicated strip Mutts, as they go happily about their exploration of the world, along with Shtinky, the lost kitten, Sid, the bowl-bound fish, Crabby and Lollipop, the cantankerous crustacean couple, and, of course, the "Peoples.".

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing; Original edition (October 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0836237323
• ISBN-13: 978-0836237320
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 8.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,008,553 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Patrick McDonnell is a New York Times best-selling author. He received the National Cartoonists Society Reuben Award for Cartoonist of the Year in 1999, and Mutts was named Strip of the Year in 1997. A dedicated animal advocate and Genesis Award recipient, McDonnell regularly lends his talents to animal protection groups and issues, including the Humane Society of the United States, where he serves on the national board of directors. McDonnell was also recently elected to the board of directors of the Charles M. Schulz Museum. He is a native of New Jersey.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Every day's a new adventure. Yesh., January 12, 2000

By 

A. P. Larson (Tacoma, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cats and Dogs: MUTTS II (Paperback)

Patrick McDonnell's "Mutts" is Krazy Kat for the nineties on up -- pup Earl and cat Mooch in a world of their own, entertained by their cast of fellow characters. What's really engaging is watching these two interact with the "peoples" and animals around them. They're not that different from you or me. Or me, anyway. Who couldn't see herself in Mooch's forbidden leap to the table? Earl tells him cats don't belong up there, to which Mooch proudly dances and sings, "Table, shtable, kitty on the table." There's a sweet thread running throughout that comes to the fore in the story of lost kitten Shtinky Puddin', as well as the tale of the egg who finally pops his shell open to the delight of his proud parents. Let me not forget McDonnell's drawing style, which is absolutely spare, cunning, and evocative (shades of Krazy Kat again). If only peoples everywhere read Mutts; what happier peoples we'd be.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If only there were six shtars... Yesh, October 21, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (San Diego, CA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cats and Dogs: MUTTS II (Paperback)

If more people knew about Mutts, sales of Prozac and Paxil would fall worldwide. It is a very funny (in a shweet way) look at the world from Mooch and Earl's perspective, which often makes more sense than ours. If I had to trade Mutts for the return of The Far Side, Outland/Bloom County and Calvin & Hobbes, I wouldn't do it, and those three were my favorite comics until Mutts came along. Patrick McDonnell is an amazing artist in a subtle way. Look at how much mood, and escpecially facial expression, can be expressed with how few lines. Dead dinosaurs of the Mary Worth genre have as much line work as the average $100 bill, and it's all flat and busy and conveys nothing. I think you have to follow the strip for a while, or go back to get the first book, to really get into the mindset of Mooch and Earl. Even though there are other characters, they, and especially the "peoples" are shown from the world view of Mooch and Earl. I've reread both books many times, and just got the recent ones. They are perfect antidotes for CNNitis (chronic inflamation of the cerebrum due to Bill & Monica, Bill & Newt, Netanyahu & Arafat, etc. saturation. It is ultimately fatal if untreated.) I can't wait for more...

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's not often you find a comic strip this good., January 20, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Cats and Dogs: MUTTS II (Paperback)

Sadly, if you look through the comics pages today, you'll notice that most of the comics are worthless crud. Mutts is the happy exception. Mutts is about a cat (Mooch) and a dog (Earl) along with their owners, who, in welcome turn from most animal strips, often play a pivotal part. The drawings and characters are wonderful. And, of course, it's hilarious. The whimsical drawings often contribute to this, and a lot of the time they're the funniest part. The punchlines are usually good. The characters are simply indescribable. Earl is often the voice of reason to Mooch, but he gets in trouble plenty himself. Mooch, who I like better, is a thouroughly irrepressible cat that talks a little funny. Mooch's speech is hilarious in itself("Yesh, that too, also"). Ozzie, Earl's owner is the typically harried dog owner that Earl really does love. Frank and Millie, Mooch's owner, are counterpoints, Millie gentle, Frank curmudgeonly. Word balloons are used inventively, sometimes with a balloon for each word. The ONLY complaint you could have against this is that the jokes are not always hilarious, but hey, who cares! But it's greatest asset is that Mutts probes into life with its jokes. Never before since Calvin and Hobbes has the art-form of comics been raised so high. Yesh, this is a good book.