CHALLENGING WORDS

chewing
enough
ground
raincoat
shouldn’t
sneakers
sneezed
surprised
thought
whispered

SUMMARY

For Henry and his big dog Mudge, spring means admiring the first snow glory, playing in puddles in the rain, and watching the five new kittens next door.

--- Conversation Questions---

(1) / Explain the story in your own words.
(Answer) / Any logical answer.
(Follow Up) / Do you have a pet dog?
(2) / Suppose you were Henry’s dad, would you have been upset about him playing in the mud puddle?
(Answer) / Any logical answer.
(Follow Up) / Have you ever been in trouble for doing something like that?
(3) / Pretend that you are Henry, would you have picked the blue snow glory?
(Answer) / Any logical answer.
(Follow Up) / Do you like to pick flowers?
(4) / Estimate how deep you think the mud puddle was?
(Answer) / Any logical answer.
(Follow Up) / Have you ever played in a mud puddle before?
(5) / Define “growled.”
(Answer) / To make a low rumbling sound in the throat, such as the one made by an angry dog.
(Follow Up) / Have you ever heard a dog growl?
(6) / Did Henry want Mudge to eat the flower?
(Answer) / No.
(Follow Up) / What did he want to do with the flower?
(7) / Why were Henry and Mudge so bored in April?
(Answer) / It rained day after day.
(Follow Up) / What did they decide to do?
(8) / What did Henry’s dad do after Mudge shook water all over him?
(Answer) / He jumped in the mud puddle.
(Follow Up) / Do you think Henry and Mudge were surprised?
(9) / Why was Mudge growling and barking at the new dog?
(Answer) / The new dog wanted to hurt the kittens.
(Follow Up) / Did Mudge want to hurt the kittens?
(10) / What did Henry name the kittens?
(Answer) / Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn.
(Follow Up) / Why did he name them after the planets?
Activities
1. / Write a short story about an adventure you would have if you had a dog like Mudge.
2. / Write a different ending to the story about the kittens. Make sure you include the new dog.
3. / List all the things that Henry and Mudge did together and draw a picture of each.
4. / Find your favorite part of the book and draw it. Write about why it is your favorite part.
Introductions
1. / Ask the children if they have a dog. Ask them what kind of adventures they have been on with their dog. Tell them, “Today we are going to read a story about a boy who goes on lots of adventures with this dog. Let’s read and find out what happens.”
2. / Have the children look at the cover of the book. Ask them what they think the book is about. Tell them, “Let’s read and find out if you are right.”
3. / Ask the children if they have a best friend. Ask them if they think a dog could be a best friend. Tell them, “Today we are going to read about a boy who has a dog for a best friend. Let’s read and find out what kind of things they do together.”

Book Title: Henry and Mudge in Puddle Trouble

Author: Cynthia Rylant / Illustrator: Sucie Stevenson
ISBN: 0-689-71400-9 / # of Text Pages: 40 AR: 2.5 LEX: 500
Building Oral Vocabulary
14 / whispered / 25 / ocean / 39 / sniffed
Prediction Questions
13 / What do you think will happen to the snow glory?
33 / What do you think Dad will do?
42 / What do you think the new dog is doing?

This resource is made available by THE LEARNING CORPS-Barren County School system, an AmeriCorps program, funded in part by the Kentucky Commission on Community and Volunteer Service and the Corporation for National and Community Service.