Houndsley and Catina and Cousin Wagster: Candlewick Sparks

by James Howe, Marie-Louise Gay (Illustrator)

Overview

Does Catina like Houndsley’s larger-than-life cousin more than she likes him? The charming friends return in this relatable tale.

When his cousin Wagster comes for a visit, Houndsley is excited. Wagster is all adventure and enthusiasm and razzle-dazzle, and all his friends love him. Even Catina thinks Wagster is fun and good at everything, and pretty soon Houndsley is starting to feel a little bit invisible. But Houndsley and Catina are best friends, and certainly Cousin Wagster won’t change that — right? James Howe and Marie-Louise Gay have created a tender and funny story about some of the ways that friendships can change, and how they also stay exactly the same.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781536215991
Publisher:	Candlewick Press
Publication date:	11/03/2020
Series:	Candlewick Sparks Series
Pages:	48
Product dimensions:	5.80(w) x 8.80(h) x 0.20(d)
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

James Howe is the author of many books for children, including the Bunnicula series and the Misfits series. He is also the author of the Houndsley and Catina books, illustrated by Marie-Louise Gay; Otter and Odder, illustrated by Chris Raschka; Brontorina, illustrated by Randy Cecil; and Big Bob, Little Bob, illustrated by Laura Ellen Anderson. James Howe lives outside of New York City.

Marie-Louise Gay is the illustrator of many award-winning children's books, including the Houndsley and Catina series by James Howe and Tiger and Badger by Emily Jenkins. She lives in Montreal, Canada.

Editorial Reviews

Gay's watercolor, pencil, and collage illustrations enrich the story with muted colors and repeated patterns. She excels at capturing small details and telling little stories within the larger one—a wonderful treat for this sparse text. As sweet as Houndsley's key-lime pie with whipped cream. More, please.
—Kirkus Reviews

Gay’s delightful artwork, done in watercolor and pencil, adds a playful quality to the story and don’t overwhelm the page, leaving plenty of space for the paragraphs of text. Add this wonderful transitional book for newly independent readers to most collections.
—School Library Journal

A satisfying homage to friendship and self-confidence, this will make a welcome addition to the easy- reader shelf, especially for series fans.
—Booklist Online

Hooray! Houndsley and Catina are back again at last! It’s been far too long. I adore the style and sensibility of these books. And was there ever a more perfect pairing, tone-wise, than Howe and Gay? In this latest episode we meet Houndsley’s incredibly outgoing cousin. Few things could be better.
—A Fuse #8 Production (blog)

In his usual, brilliant style, author James Howe has created another fun, outstanding Houndsley and Catina story that kids are bound to love. Exploring some of the tricky elements of friendship and perfectly illustrated by Marie-Louise Gay, Houndsley and Catina and Cousin Wagster is pitch-perfect in every way.
—Reading Eagle (from Kendal Rautzhan's "Books to Borrow")

From the Publisher

2018-06-25
In Houndsley and Catina's latest, Houndsley's globe-trotting cousin, Wagster, pays the two best friends a visit. From the moment he arrives, "razzle-dazzle" Wagster is all charm. Catina is immediately smitten after he pays her a compliment and regales her with stories of his travels. Houndsley, on the other hand, begins to feel increasingly invisible. Whether cooking scrumptious desserts or imitating famous movie stars, Cousin Wagster is good at everything! Houndsley wrestles with his feelings of inadequacy until he finally confronts Catina about it at their dance class. Catina responds in simile: Whereas Wagster is like the beautiful butterfly who flits around from garden to garden, Houndsley is like the butterfly that stays. Plus, Wagster's parting gift proves that he's not so perfect after all—and that's totally fine! Howe's ode to true friendship and the quiet pleasures of home combines sight words with more complex vocabulary and a few lyrical passages. The story is divided into three chapters, with ample leading between lines of text (which range from two to 15 lines per page). Gay's watercolor, pencil, and collage illustrations enrich the story with muted colors and repeated patterns. She excels at capturing small details and telling little stories within the larger one—a wonderful treat for this sparse text. As sweet as Houndsley's key-lime pie with whipped cream. More, please. (Early reader. 5-8)

Kirkus Reviews