Houndsley and Catina [Hardcover]

James Howe (Author), Marie-Louise Gay (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up | Series: Houndsley and Catina

The subtle dance of friendship - from holding your tongue to knowing what to say - is played out in three sweetly humorous tales about an unlikely, likable pair.

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.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 2 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, 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

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick (March 14, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0763624047
• ISBN-13: 978-0763624040
• Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 0.4 x 9.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #572,448 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

James Howe has written more than eighty books in the thirty-plus years he's been writing for young readers. It sometimes confuses people that the author of the humorous Bunnicula series also wrote the dark young adult novel, The Watcher, or such beginning reader series as Pinky and Rex and the E.B. White Read Aloud Award-winning Houndsley and Catina and its sequels. But from the beginning of his career (which came about somewhat by accident after asking himself what kind of vampire a rabbit might make), he has been most interested in letting his imagination take him in whatever direction it cared to. So far, his imagination has led him to picture books, such as I Wish I Were a Butterfly and Brontorina (about a dinosaur who dreams of being a ballerina), mysteries, poetry (in the upcoming Addie on the Inside), and fiction that deals with issues that matter deeply to him. He is especially proud of The Misfits, which inspired national No Name-Calling Week (www.nonamecallingweek.org) and its sequel Totally Joe. He does not know where his imagination will take him in the next thirty-plus years, but he is looking forward to finding out.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Also available as paperback/CD, hardcover/cassette, and paperback/cassette editions, May 8, 2006

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Houndsley and Catina (Hardcover)

A premier publisher of audio book adaptations of children's picturebooks, Live Oak Media has produced audio editions of an outstanding title by author James Howe and illustrator Marie-Louise Gay. "Houndsley and Catina" is the story of Catina the cat who wants to be a successful writer, while Houndsley the dog is a rather good cook who aspires to winning an important cooking contest. While the two of them seek fame, they find that having a good friend is an even better reward for doing what they love to do and are so very good at. In addition to being available as a hardcover/CD combination, this outstanding and highly recommended title is also available as paperback/CD, hardcover/cassette, and paperback/cassette editions.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Two best friends. Three short chapters., April 27, 2006

By 

C. Wagner "cecilkunkle" (On the banks of the Wabash far away) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Houndsley and Catina (Hardcover)

An easy chapter book about friends. Backed up with colorful illustrations by Mary-Louise Gay. (I often wonder what secret income allows characters such as Houndsley and Catrina to live their lives of contentment, but never mind.) Don't miss out on Howe's Bunnicula novels. And, if you like this title, you will also enjoy the Arnold Lobel books.