HENRY /AND-: MUDGETHEN REACH FOR THE STARS! Each child is a rising star in our Ready-to-Read program, gaining confidence as they launch from one reading level to the next. With a constellation of engaging, soon-to-be favorite stories and starring characters to lead the way, we encourage beginning readers to enjoy the journey of learning to read. The Ready-to-Read stories are grouped into four reading levels: PRE-LEVEL ONE x RI. Stories are shared reading characters and simple words. LEVEL ONE * STAR REA Stories feature easy sight words and simple plot and dialogue, as well as fa LEVEL TWO * SUPERS Stories have simple chapters, vocabulary words, LEVEL THREE * MEG, Stories have longer, more complex challenging vocabulary words, and i Confidence is a big key to learning to read, and whether a child is a Stor or a Megastar, this program is designed to help kids feel like sta every reading level. With the help of their favorite characters, every sus star will sparkle and shine as they take pride in their abilities and lea to love reading. Blast off on this starry adventure . . . a universe of reading awaits!Henry and Mudge The First Book of Their Adventures Story by Cynthia Rylant Pictures by Sucie Stevenson Ready-to-Read re Simon Spotlight New York London Toronto SydneyFor Nate and his dog—CR For Grandma and Biffy—SS ‘THE HENRY AND MUDGE BOOKS First Aladdin Paperbacks edition, 1990 Text copyright © 1987 by Cynthia Rylant Illustrations copyright © 1987 by Susie Stevenson Simon Spotlight An imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division 1230 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10020 [Al rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. READY-TO-READ is a registered trademark of Simon & Schuster, Inc. Manufactured in the United States of America 50 49 48 47 46 45 44 ‘Also available in a Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers hardcover edition. The Library of Congress Cataloging-In-Publication Data: Rylant, Cynthia. Henry and Mudge: the first book of their adventures / story by Cynthia Rylant; pictures by Susie Stevenson. p. cm. Summary: Henry, feeling lonely on a street without any other children, finds companionship and love in a big dog named Mudge. [1. Dogs—Fiction] I. Stevenson, Sugie, ill. Il. Title. PZ7.R982 Hik 1990 [E]dc20 89-39809 CIP AC ISBN-13: 978-0-689-81004-6 (he.) ISBN-10: 0-689-81004-0 (hc.) ISBN-13: 978-0-689-81005-3 (pbk.) ISBN-10: 0-689-81005-9 (pbk.) 1016 LAKContents Henry Mudge Henry Mudge Mudge Henry 28 Henry and Mudge 35Henry had no brothers and no sisters. “T want a brother,” he told his parents. “Sorry,” they said. Henry had no friends on his street.“T want to live on a different street,” he told his parents. “Sorry,” they said. Henry had no pets at home. “T want to have a dog,” he told his parents. “Sorry,” they almost said.But first they looked at their house with no brothers and sisters. Then they looked at their street with no children. Then they looked at Henry’s face.Then they looked at each other. “Okay,” they said. “T want to hug you!” Henry told his parents. And he did. Henry searched for a dog. “Not just any dog,” said Henry. “Not a short one,” he said. “Not a curly one,” he said. “And no pointed ears.”Then he found Mudge. Mudge had floppy ears, not pointed. And Mudge had straight fur, not curly. But Mudge was short. “Because he’s a puppy,” Henry said. “He'll grow.”And did he ever! He grew out of his puppy cage. He grew out of his dog cage. He grew out of seven collars in a row. And when he finally stopped growing. . .he weighed one hundred eighty pounds, he stood three feet tall, and he drooled. “I’m glad you’re not short,” Henry said. And Mudge licked him, then sat on him.Henry used to walk to school alone. When he walked he used to worry about tornadoes, ghosts, biting dogs, and bullies.He walked as fast as he could. He looked straight ahead. He never looked back. But now he walked to school with Mudge.And now when he walked, he thought about vanilla ice cream, rain, rocks, and good dreams. He walked to school but not too fast. He walked to school and sometimes backward.He walked to school and patted Mudge’s big head, happy.18 Mudge loved Henry’s room. He loved the dirty socks. He loved the stuffed bear. He loved the fish tank. But mostly he loved Henry’s bed.Because in Henry’s bed was Henry. Mudge loved to climb in with Henry. Then he loved to smell him.He smelled his lemon hair. He smelled his milky mouth. He smelled his soapy ears. He smelled his chocolate fingers. 21Then he put his head by Henry’s head. He looked at the fish tank. He looked at the bear. He looked at Henry. He licked him. And he fell asleep.cOne day Mudge took a walk without Henry. The sun was shining, the birds were flying, the grass smelled sweet. Mudge couldn’t wait for Henry. So he left. 2324 He went down one road, sniffing the bushes, then down another road, kicking up dust. He went through a field, across a stream, into some pine trees.And when he came out on the other side, he was lost.26 He couldn’t smell Henry- He couldn’t smell his front porch. He couldn’t smell the street he lived on. Mudge looked all around and didn’t see anything or anyone he knew.He whined a little, alone without Henry. Then he lay down, alone without Henry. He missed Henry’s bed.28 Henry thought Mudge would be with him always. He thought Mudge made everything safe. He thought Mudge would never go away.And when Mudge did go away, when Henry called and called but Mudge didn’t come, Henry’s heart hurt and he cried for an hour. But when he finished crying, Henry said, “Mudge loves me. He wouldn’t leave. He must be lost.”30 So Henry walked and walked, and he called and called, and he looked and looked for his dog Mudge. He walked down one road, then down another road. The sun shone as Henry ran through a field, calling and calling. | | / i caAnd the tears fell again as he looked at the empty pine trees for his lost dog. “Mudge!” he called, one last time. The birds flew past as he stood beside a stream, calling and calling. | 32And Mudge woke up from his lonely sleep, then, came running. Every day when Henry woke up, he saw Mudge’s big head. And every day when Mudge woke up, he saw Henry’s small face. 35They ate breakfast at the same time; they ate supper at the same time.And when Henry was at school, Mudge just lay around and waited. Mudge never went for a walk without Henry again. And Henry never worried that Mudge would leave. SfBecause sometimes, in their dreams, they saw long silent roads, big wide fields, deep streams, and pine trees. Nis f oy Mudge was alone and Henry was aloré€ So when Mudge woke up and knew Henry was with him, he remembered the dream and stayed closer. 39And when Henry woke up and knew Mudge was with him, he remembered the dream and the looking and the calling and the fear and he knew he would never lose Mudge «t have always loved pets. Raised in the country in West virginia, I was surrounded by hound dogs and barn cats. When I grew up and found myself raising a boy and dogs, I was inspired to write the Henry and Mudge stories. I know all about cold shivers, big tests, happy cats, and wild winds. ‘And especially big, drooly, lovable dogs.” —Cynthia Rylant “I live near the sea on Cape Cod. I draw pictures for children’s books full time. I also write my own books. I love drawing the Henry and Mudge series. To me, there is nothing better than a big drooly dog. I once owned an English mastiff just like Mudge. He was so big he took up the entire sofa. Now I have a little cocker spaniel. She sleeps under my desk as I work. She doesn’t drool, but she does snore!” —Sugie Stevenson Cynthia Rylant and Sugie Stevenson have collaborated on more than thirty books in the award-winning and beloved Henry & Mudge and Annie & Snowball series. A full list of titles is available online at KIDS.SimonandSchuster.com.ING * WITH * THE* STARS! tlight Ready-to-Read books showcase your the stars of these stories! re a reading sta EEE READ Simon Spo! favorite characters= pus AT every level, you a aa ols aa Peer ee ae aed am! 0 * SUPERSTAR READER! eRe s aft ot a ae In this first book i i learns he is eee soo ee ye ne right dog ne i. uage. Mudge is but then he petted Saeed weighs one hundred eighty oot And Henry and Mudge become the very best of friends. ; Pel aloo Stevenson y TAC el Find more Ready-to-Read books at ReadytoReadBooks.com ISONSTE OSES SIO.3 $298US/51 9 Can A Ready-toRead Book/Ficlion ‘Simon & Schuster, New York | ll l Il iit olrsosesterouss ill SIMON SPOTUGHT 0696