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It’s the rare book nowadays that is geared toward children but is enjoyed just as much by adults. That’s exactly the case with Faller’s Mr. Henry and Me. Written from the point of view of the title character’s dog (Lady), it’s filled with stories and antics that will make you laugh out loud, especially when the dreaded baths are involved.
Lady makes it very clear from the beginning that she is a dachshund, not a "weiner dog" and that she has Mr. Henry wrapped around her little paw. Mr. Henry thinks that he took her home, but in fact, Lady had him picked out as her “human” from the first time she met him. From there, each chapter gets funnier and funnier: Lady “talking” to and romping around with her neighborhood animal friends; hating baths but needing to take one after she had a run-in with a black and white “cat;” and taking a vacation with Mr. Henry and seeing (and hating) snow for the first time. The way Faller writes, it’s very easy to forget that you’re even reading about a dog. It makes you wonder if canines might be smarter than we think and plotting against us?
The chapters are short and concentrate on only one or two plot points, so most children would have no trouble reading this on their own. The book would benefit from more careful editing though, as there are a few spelling errors. However, both children and their parents will find that reading about Lady’s shenanigans is incredibly funny.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review