Houndsley and Catina Plink and Plunk

From School Library Journal Grade 1–3—Houndsley and Catina are back in a brand-new springtime adventure. Catina's constant chatter once again ruins Houndsley's canoe trip, but he doesn't understand why she suddenly clams up after a wave rocks the boat. Catina can't understand why Houndsley doesn't want to ride his new bicycle. In the end, the two friends help one another overcome their fears. The three episodes seem disjointed at first, but the language is playful and precise and the action comes together for a satisfying conclusion. Houndsley and Catina's misunderstandings will resonate with early elementary readers. Gay's gentle cartoons, done in pen-and-ink and watercolor, sprawl across the pages while leaving plenty of white space around the text to encourage beginning readers.—