School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3-Fans will welcome another installment in this popular series. In this adventure, Henry and his lovable dog visit Great-Grandpa Bill in the house where he lives with lots of other grandpas. The two friends go exploring and come across a pond that looks like a great place for a swim. Knowing that they should not go in the water alone, they return to the house in search of a buddy. All of the grandpas head off to the pond with the boy and the dog, resting on Mudge whenever they get tired. They all have a great time swimming in their "skivvies" and telling old stories. Brief chapters with entertaining watercolor illustrations make this book an excellent choice for beginning readers ready to make the transition to short chapter books.-Melinda Piehler, Sawgrass Elementary School, Sunrise, FL (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
Meeting the textual needs of new readers, Henry and his big dog Mudge visit Great-grandpa in a retirement home. The progressive plot (they take a group of great-grandpas on an unapproved outing) is both sentimental and unrealistic. Still, the action unfolds quickly and illustrations that mirror the story give numerous clues concerning the events and unfamiliar vocabulary. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
K-Gr. 2. This Ready-to-Read title about Henry and his big dog Mudge is even more joyful than the others in the popular series. In four simple chapters The Great Grandpas tells how Henry and Mudge visit Great Grandpa Bill at his house with a lot of other very old grandpas. Henry brings gifts--food, games, puzzles--and while the grandpas play checkers and cards, Henry and Mudge run in the nearby woods and discover a pool. Then everyone wants to swim, and Henry, his dad, and the grandpas strip to their underwear and have a great time in the water. Mudge is there, too. In fact, when the grandpas get tired, they lean on Mudge, who doesn't mind at all. Rylant manages to make things idyllic without being soppy, partly because the mischief is both cozy and farcical; and Stevenson's clear, active line-and-watercolor pictures individualize the grandpas and show their affectionate bond with Henry and the huge, slobbering mutt. A sweet story, perfect for children who are capable of reading simple stories on their own. --Hazel Rochman Copyright 2005 Booklist
