Story by Cynthia Rylant Pictures by Sucie Stevenson WINNERS OF THE THEODOR SEUSS GEISEL AWARDHenry and Mudge have had many adventures together and you can read them all! Look for these great stories: Henry and Mudge Henry and Mudge in Puddle Trouble # Henry and Mudge in the Green Time Henry and Mudge Under the Yellow Moon Henry and Mudge in the Sparkle Days Henry and Mudge and the Forever Sea Henry and Mudge Get the Cold Shivers Henry and Mudge and the Happy Cat Henry and Mudge and the Bedtime Thumps Henry and Mudge Take the Big Test Henry and Mudge and the Long Weekend Henry and Mudge and the Wild Wind Henry and Mudge and the Careful Cousin Henry and Mudge and the Best Day of All Henry and Mudge in the Family Trees and the Sneaky Crackers Henry and Mud Henry and Mudge and the Starry Night Henry and Mudge and Annie's Good Move Henry and Mudge and the Snowman Plan Henry and Mudge and Annie’s Perfect Pet Henry and Mudge and the Tall Tree House Henry and Mudge and Mrs, Hoppers House he Wild Goose Chase Henry and Mudge ani Henry and Mudge and the Funny Lunch Henry and Mudge and a Very Merry Christmas HENRY AND MUDGE AND THE Bedtime Thumps The Ninth Book of Their Adventures Story by Cynthia Rylant Pictures by Sucie Stevenson Ready-to-Read Aladdin PaperbaicksTo Patrick Perkowski, our good family friend —CR For Harvey, Sophie, Luca, and Rose—Ss ALADDIN PAPERBACKS, An impsin of Simon & Schuster Chilens Publishing Division 120 Avene of the Americas [New ork, NY 10020 opyight © 1991 by Cynthia Rylan ns copyright © 1991 by Sug Stevenson Allright reserve incaing the ight of reproduction in whole on port in any form, READY-TO-READ is entered remark of Simon & Schuster, Tne THE HENRY AND MUDGE BOOKS Alo avalal in Simon & Schuster Books foe Young Readers Editon oe ost in 18 pone Goudy percandink waterolor Maniictre inthe United States of America Fiat Alain Paperbks cation 1996 3029 24272625 The Libary of Cnges fas cated the harewer edition as flows: Rylan, Cyrus Hey al Mae aad the bedtime thurs thera hook of chee adventures story by (Cyathia Rylan; pictures by Sigi Steveruc, Henry worries about what will happen ‘Mae daring thee vst to is randiotber use ISBN-13: 978 0689-81014 (he) ISBN 0-689.81011-4 (be I ISON, 978.0689-80162-4 (pK) ISBN-10 0689901629 (pb) aMOLAK Contents To Grandmother’s House “Hello, Sweetie” A Lot of Looks The Bedtime Thumps 13 19 27pes “ea ah.9G To Sey: BS IR KS Bay WA Z 2 © aa \ E& \ Henry and his big dog Mudge were going to the country with Henry’s parents. Henry was reading comic books. Mudge was chewing his toenails. \\ M6) b th, —~* a aNHe worried that Mudge might eat her coffee table. But mostly he worried They were going to visit that Mudge might Henry's grandmother. a have to sleep outside. Henry’s grandmother Dn cae x had never met Mudge. So Henry worried. He worried that Mudge might drool on her skirt.. TTY TTT tty ay, Mudge had never Nee PrP es Fob TAR slept outside before. KK I. And if Mudge slept outside, WA i) Henry would be alone, aes J yy trying to sleep “YASS LS” in an empty room \\ eek in a strange house y Y in a dark yard in the country.Chew, bite. Spit. Chew, bite. Spit. Henry bit his fingernails, Mudge chewed his toenails, and the car drove on. Henry read his comic books and worried. The longer he rode, the more he worried. Soon he began to bite his fingernails.we, wed S55 eZ =, LS Sm ay MOSCA yA After riding for a long time, oy Henry and Mudge saw the grandmother's house. 4 It had a birdbath and a garden 4 full of corn. * tw @ be (OS bLHenry and Mudge looked at each other. Their fingernails and toenails were very short. \ Henry’s grandmother came outside. She had a big smile and a polka-dot dress. Mudge took one look at her and his tail wagged and wagged and wagged.“Hello, sweetie,” Henry’s grandmother said to Mudge. She hugged him tight. Henry’s grandmother wiped dog drool off her sleeve, and they followed her into the house. “Hello, sweetie,” Henry’s grandmother said to Henry. She hugged him tight.a <8) BS 3 a - ° 2 4 <Henry looked at Mudge, And before too long, Mudge knocked a pink flamingo off of a table. “Aw, Mudge,” Henry said. and for the first time wished that Mudge was smaller. Shorter. Thinner. Mudge looked like an elephant in a phone booth. Henry’s father gave Mudge ‘a look.Then Mudge knocked a wishing well off of a table. “Aw, Mudge,” Henry said. Then when Mudge knocked a bowl of peppermints off of a table, Henry’s father @ and Henry’s mother and Henry’s grandmother Henry’s father and Henry’s mother Ma look gave Mudge a look. aAnd Henry’s father said, “Outside.” Henry gave everybody a look.After dinner, Henry played outside with Mudge. They loved the birdbath, Mudge especially. It was like a giant water dish just for him.”When it was dark, GIN Henry looked at Mudge, nN Henry’s father le NM called Henry in. @ ' : sitting in the dark country yard. Henry was afraid. He was afraid Mudge would be lonely. He was afraid Mudge would be sad. “What about Mudge?” My > asked Henry. Gs $ “He has to sleep outside,” said Henry’s father. “Outside?” said Henry.But mostly he was afraid Mudge would be asleep if Henry needed or a giant moth to be saved from a bear or a mouse.Henry gave Mudge Then WISH! FLOP! a tight hug, then he went inside, biting his fingernails. When he was washed and in bed, Henry lay in the dark. His eyes were big. His heart was pounding. His knees were shaking.Henry jumped out of bed! He ran to the front door! “Mudge!” he called out in a loud whisper.“Hi Mudge,” Henry said as he crawled under the table, too. He was glad to see Mudge. Mudge was glad to see him. Thump. Thump. Thump. Mudge licked Henry’s face Mudge wagged his tail and smelled his ears from under the porch table. and shook his hand.aig % Then Henry laid his head “Y ©, on Mudge’s big chest, and finally he slept a good sleep at the strange house in the dark yard in the country. | Holt MiMi Ue isAnd when the moth flew by, Mudge ate it. “Ilive in Oregon with my son, Nate, and our two dogs and one large cat. I have always loved pets. Raised in the country in West Virginia, I was surrounded by hound dogs and barn cats. “When I grew up and found myself ra Iwas inspired to write the Henry and Mudge stories. know all ing a boy and dogs, about cold shivers, big tests, happy cats, and wild winds. And especially big drooly lovable dogs.” —Cynthia RylantEADY -TO Henry and his 180-pound dog Mudge are best friends forever. And in this ninth book of their adventures they spend a scary night together at Henry’s grandmother's house in the country. >) Reading Independently ‘* More-complex stories eee aca + Paragraphs and short chapters Visit Henry and Mudge at wwwhenryandmudge.com SS» & - US $3.99/ $4.50 CAN mann | 50309