In Henry and Mudge's eighteenth adventure, Henry's cousin Annie is moving - right next door to Henry! Annie likes Henry and Mudge, but she's nervous about leaving her friends, and about changing schools, and about what might happen to her things on the moving truck. She's so nervous she's broken out in blotches. But Henry knows just the thing for a bad case of nerves - a snuggle under a blanket with a big dog like Mudge! Editorial Reviews PreS-Gr 3-Suzanne Toren narrates Cynthia Rylant's story (S&S, 1998) with distinctive voices for each character. Henry and Mudge help his cousin Annie feel good about leaving her old house, friends, and school and moving to Henry's neighborhood. Level two readers will easily follow along with the text while listening to the cassette. Gentle background noises add to the presentation. After introducing the title, author, illustrator, and herself, the narrator demonstrates the page-turn signal which is on one side of the cassette. The only problem is that Toren tells youngsters to turn to the first chapter without indicating a page number, which might be confusing for beginning readers. This high quality production would be a worthwhile acquisition for school and public libraries for a classroom group listening center or for independent modeling for English Language Acquisition students or others who are less fluent readers.-Sherrie Davidson, Lyn Knoll Elementary School, Aurora, CO Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information. - School Library Journal Rylant and Stevenson's 18th book in the series is a tenderly humorous tale about a common event in family life. Henry, with a little help from Mudge, comes to the aid of his Cousin Annie, who is moving next door. While Henry and his family are delighted, careful Annie views the move with trepidation. She's so nervous that she has broken out in blotches contemplating moving her frilly dresses, shiny shoes, and lace hankies. Henry offers his time-tested remedy for nervousness: a snuggle under the covers with Mudge. Rylant thoughtfully addresses Annie's dilemma, validating a child's concerns and providing a generous solution. Stevenson's gaily colored pen-and-ink illustrations provide a perfect counterpart to the story, deftly highlighting Annie's vulnerability as well as the humor in Henry and Mudge's antics. (Picture book. 6-8) - Kirkus Reviews The Horn Book The beginning reader couldn't ask for a better pair of companions. School Library Journal Bravo Henry and Mudge. May they go on forever! School Library Journal There are four sparkling winners here: Henry and Mudge and Rylant and Stevenson. Kirkus Reviews Warm, loving, and gently philosophical, these stories about an only child and his closest companion deserve a place in every library collection. - From the Publisher