McDuff Comes Home [Hardcover]

Rosemary Wells (Author)

Book Description

Grade Level: P and up | Series: Mcduff

Rosemary Wells and Susan Jeffers pool their considerable talents in this delightful story about a little dog certain to capture the hearts of very young children. McDuff leaves the security of Fred and Lucy's garden to chase a rabbit--and gets lost. With incredible dog telepathy--and the help of a lady who understands dog language--McDuff finds his way home. Full color.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreS. McDuff, an all-too-curious Yorkshire terrier, finds himself far from home when a rabbit in the next yard proves to be too much temptation and he takes off after it. The rabbit outwits him, though, and the small dog suddenly realizes that he's lost. Help comes in the form of a lively senior citizen who finds the wayward pup and takes him home (with directions from McDuff) on her motorcycle. Wells is a master at the delicate art of story, and Jeffers's realistic illustrations are wonderfully enticing. They successfully depict the curiosity that got McDuff into trouble in the first place, the penitent look when the elderly woman finds him, and the excitement of reunion. Children will revel in this second story about this endearing pup.?Christy Norris, Valley Cottage Library, NY
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Ages 3-5. The white terrier who found a home with Fred and Lucy in McDuff Moves In gets lost again when he sees a rabbit in the neighbor's yard and chases him "over hills and streets and flower beds" and into Mrs. Higgins' garden. The matronly Mrs. Higgins puts him in the sidecar of her red motorcycle and is driving him into town, when McDuff recognizes the smells, the sounds, and the sight of home. All four characters enjoy a splendid picnic together. Like the first book, this one features a 1930s period setting, an appealing little dog, and a consistent and believable portrayal of the canine point of view. The double-page spreads showing multiple images, such as the one in which McDuff chases the rabbit, raises questions of whether young children will understand that this is one pair of animals shown many times, rather than many dogs and rabbits chasing one another. Still, the bold shapes and colors of the artwork are one of the book's main drawing points. A mildly quirky picture book, just right for little dog lovers. Carolyn Phelan

Product Details

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion; 1st edition (January 1, 1900)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786803177
• ISBN-13: 978-0786803170
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 8.9 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,415,875 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Born in New York City, Rosemary Wells grew up in a house "filled with books, dogs, and nineteenth-century music." Her childhood years were spent between her parents' home near Red Bank, New Jersey, and her grandmother's rambling stucco house on the Jersey Shore. Most of her sentimental memories, both good and bad, stem from that place and time. Her mother was a dancer in the Russian Ballet, and her father a playwright and actor. Mrs. Wells says, "Both my parents flooded me with books and stories. My grandmother took me on special trips to the theater and museums in New York. "Rosemary Wells's career as an author and illustrator spans more than 30 years and 60 books. She has won numerous awards, and has given readers such unforgettable characters as Max and Ruby, Noisy Nora, and Yoko. She has also given Mother Goose new life in two enormous, definitive editions, published by Candlewick. Wells wrote and illustrated Unfortunately Harriet, her first book with Dial, in 1972. One year later she wrote the popular Noisy Nora. "The children and our home life have inspired, in part, many of my books. Our West Highland white terrier, Angus, had the shape and expressions to become Benjamin and Tulip, Timothy, and all the other animals I have made up for my stories." Her daughters Victoria and Beezoo were constant inspirations, especially for the now famous "Max" board book series. "Simple incidents from childhood are universal," Wells says. "The dynamics between older and younger siblings are common to all families."But not all of Wells' ideas come from within the family circle. Many times when speaking, Mrs. Wells is asked where her ideas come from. She usually answers, "It's a writer's job to have ideas." Sometimes an idea comes from something she reads or hears about, as in the case of her recent book, Mary on Horseback, a story based on the life of Mary Breckenridge, who founded the Frontier Nursing Service. Timothy Goes to School was based on an incident in which her daughter was teased for wearing the wrong clothes to a Christmas concert. Her dogs, west highland terriers, Lucy and Snowy, work their way into her drawings in expression and body position. She admits, "I put into my books all of the things I remember. I am an accomplished eavesdropper in restaurants, trains, and gatherings of any kind. These remembrances are jumbled up and changed because fiction is always more palatable than truth. Memories become more true as they are honed and whittled into characters and stories."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Dog's Dog!, July 18, 2006

By 

M. Allen Greenbaum (California) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: McDuff Comes Home (Paperback)

(Note: This review refers to the 1997 hardcover edition written by Ms. Wells and illustrated by Ms. Jeffers.)

The McDuff series lovingly recreates a small New England town of the late 1940''s or early `50's. The frontispiece shows a neighborhood of gables two and three-story house, some with curved roofs, masonry, and picket fences, all with tall chimneys nearly touching the treetops. It's immediately welcoming.

When we meet a cute (!), big-eyed, white terrier-like dog, our hearts are completely won over. McDuff is a dog's dog: He's got a nose for food, a watchful eye, and he's full of terrier energy. However, when the kitchen window is closed one day, he discovers he can't bask on his Adirondack chair and savor the usual "snappy scent of Fred's frying sausages, the velvety smell of Lucy's vanilla rice pudding." (In a book set in the post-war era, I wonder if this is a thinly veiled reference to Fred Mertz and Lucille Ricardo...).

On a day without those distractions, McDuff notices a large brown rabbit, and he chases it, losing his collar, and finally collapsing in a cozy vegetable patch--just the spot for a snooze. The garden owner heads for the police station with the lost dog in her motorcycle sidecar--another wonderful touch--but McDuff's "woofs" guide them back to his home instead. Here, Fred and Lucy serve a lavish 1950's lunch: Period dishes piled high with apple pie, perhaps a dozen thick sandwiches, an entire ham, and various cheeses and dessert. McDuff, looking very content, sits in his Adirondack, about to eat a favorite treat, "a small dish of vanilla rice pudding with a sausage slice on top." Veteran writer Rosemary Wells (the "Max and Ruby" series) keeps things moving, and the story is neither too dense nor too blandly simple. Some writers seem to slap on contrived "funny" endings but Welles blends an unforced comic twist with an integrated, reassuring conclusion.

Caldecott Honor winner Susan Jeffries' great sense of period style adds to the series' appeal. The colors are smooth and saturated, the contours rounded and inviting. The book exudes welcoming, friendly warmth. At one point, Jeffries takes chances with her youngest audience in a 2-page spread that shows a curving trail of repeated Cuffs and the rabbit meant to show the zigzagging trail of their chase. This may confuse some small fry, but it's a delightfully energetic scene, enjoyable on its own (and somewhat older kids will have little difficulty understanding an adult's explanation). This is a terrific book, with a masterful blend of active and soothing scenes to delight child and adult, both day and night.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A terrific sequel to McDuff Moves In, July 11, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: McDuff Comes Home (Hardcover)

Another marvelous book by Rosemary Wells and Susan Jeffers. McDuff's adventures chasing a bunny rabbit are wonderfully captured in the illustrations. The drawings of the Westie McDuff are so realistic. A book for all children and any adults who love these special dogs.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars timeless westie, July 5, 2010

By 

Kate Parrow - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: McDuff Comes Home (Hardcover)

These books about McDuff are timeless. Our 23 mo. old grandaughter has an old, born well before she was born, Westie named Charlie. She loves these books! The illustrations are so clear and the expressive dog 'faces' are perfect for a Westie. Another plus is that adults enjoy reading them too....This helps when you are asked 'read again' over and over.