A picture book about a trip to the library. And the adventures that come from that. I think it's go one to introduce kids to the importance of the library.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A cute beginning reader. The characters are cute and identifiable for kids. The story flowed well and it's great that it was about a library!

Houndsley and Catina are back at last, for a new outing, and they are as charming as ever. And best of all, they champion reading and libraries!

A sweet story about three friends who meet every Saturday for a trip to the library, and how they deal with the news that the library is closing because the librarian is retiring, and there's no one to take her place. Many themes children encounter sneak in, such as dealing with change, an adult retiring and/or changing careers, and being happy for someone pursuing a dream while being sad to see them go. The story shows the kindness and thoughtfulness of the characters, and has a satisfying ending that brings all the right feels with it. And the artwork- swoon! It's soft and dreamy, with splashes of bolder color and pattern, full of interesting detail to get lost in, and compliments the story so well! I'll definitely look out for more in this series!

#HoundsleyandCatinaattheLibrary #NetGalley

This is the sixth in a series of touching friendship stories with gentle life lessons woven in. I love how this story draws on library values of bringing people together and creating a community and weaves in concepts of caring and supporting people. Howe’s story also introduces retirement, new careers, and adult education, life changes even young children are likely to see in their families ...

Best of all are Marie Gay’s whimsical and endearing illustrations. The bright and homey watercolors, packed with intricate details, perfectly fit the story’s quiet and charming tone. Children will be so busy pouring over the details in Houndsley's messy kitchen, the visit to Trixie’s backyard, or Catina’s adorable red-trimmed house, that they might forget to read the story! But, no matter, they’ll want to return to this lovely neighborhood again and again ...

On Saturday mornings the beloved characters of this series, Houndsley the dog, Katina the cat, and Bert the big white bird, meet and walk to the library together. At the library, Houndsley assists students learning to read, Catina participates in a yoga class, Bert is a library volunteer and helps reshelve books. After their visit, they return to Houndsley’s house for tea and fresh baked muffins.

On this occasion, they notice that Trixie, the librarian, seems unlike her usual upbeat self and the friends become concerned. Soon they find out that Trixie plans to retire to pursue her dream of performing in a circus. "it is never too late to try something new," she tells the friends (p.22). However, since there is no one able to replace her, the library will have to close ... but might there be someone? .

If your kiddos are like Houndsley and Catina, they love to go to the library where they find so much more than a good book. They learn about their world and how they can make it better. Upon arriving at the library, they also learn that their librarian Trudy is retiring. What will they do with the news? Will they lose their library, their friend? The library is a place for opportunities.

A fun read for your children and loving the library more than they already do.

A Special Thank you to Candlewick and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

We love Houndsley and Catina at our house. We were excited when the new book came out about them and the library. This is a sweet story of the love of the library and how the community views the library.

This is a cute early chapter book about the love of books. It has a few challenging words for new readers that will keep pushing them to advance, but not so many that the child will become frustrated. The illustrations are beautiful and engaging.

I received an electronic copy from Candlewick Press through NetGalley.
Book 6 in the series
Houndsley and Catina are joined by their friend Bert for their weekly trip to the library. They are surprised to discover the library will be closing forever the next Friday. The friends are sad but work on special gifts for the retiring librarian for the coming party. Bert decides he can be the next librarian and surprises everyone by announcing this at Tilly's retirement party. The book finishes with everyone still coming to the library to celebrate community time.
Howe has created delightful characters that early elementary readers will enjoy. Though this is book six, readers can easily read it as a stand alone. The text is simple to follow and the illustrations offer clues to help with some of the words. Terrific series for younger readers to gain confidence in their reading abilities and enjoy the fun and humor in the books.

This was a great book for young reader. Amazing illustrations ( I just love Marie-Louise Gay!) and a fun story about the importance of libraries, as well as how it's never to late to try something new! Very enjoyable and makes me want to read others in this series with my daughter.

It's special to share this during National Library Week! Be sure to look for all that is happening this week! Thanks to Candlewick Press for the copy.
It was fun to meet these friends again in a library adventure. It certainly couldn't be more timely because I imagine, like me, you all are missing your libraries very, very much. Every Saturday, Houndsley, Catina, and friend Bert are excited because it's the day they go together to the library. Each has plans there, but first, they have a muffin (or two) at Catina's. When they arrive, Trixie, their special librarian, isn't her usual fun and helpful self. In fact, she disappears. That's when they notice the sign on the front door: the library is closing because Trixie is retiring. And there is no one to replace her! When finding out more information, the friends realize that no one can replace Trixie, but there may be a solution not previously thought of, a fun surprise. James Howe's stories and Marie-Louise Gay's delightful illustrations have created still another adventure that's filled to the brim with friendly talk and feel-good problem-solving, trying something new and supporting friends.

If anyone ever needs a reminder of how important libraries are, this would be a good book to share. Houndsley, Catina, and Bert have a weekly library tradition, but when the library might close, they discover they have ways that can help. Sweet and funny.