Henry and his 180-pound dog Mudge are best friends forever. And in this third book of their adventures, they share summertime fun!

In this third book of the series (Henry and Mudge and Henry and Mudge in Puddle Trouble), Rylant's portrayal of the small Henry and his affectionate large dog is even better than before. When Henry and Mudge go on a picnic and Henry is stung by a bee, Mudge licks away his salty tears. When Henry gives Mudge a bath, he ends up having to dry both of them with a towel. And when Henry and Mudge play King of the Mountain, they pretend that Mudge is a dragon, and together chase away all pretenders to the throne. Late on summer days, when purple shadows mime their play, Henry and Mudge curl up under their magic tree and sleep "together, on the green hill in their green time." Stevenson's pen-and-ink and watercolors sensitively embellish deftly-told stories about loyalty, love and innocence.

Henry and his enormous dog, Mudge, return with three more short adventures for early readers, all set in the summer. Their picnic is interrupted by a bee sting; Henry gives an unwilling Mudge a bath; and the two of them enjoy a make-believe game of king and dragon. The stories are sweet, and humor abounds. The cheery watercolors shimmer with the brightness of the summertime setting, and Mudge in particular is an engaging fellow. Young readers who are ready for short chapters will enjoy the simple, everyday events which befall this duo.