FICTION

Wellington's Rainy Day

978-1-55469-284-2.
COPY ISBN
PreS-Gr 3—Wellington is a peckish hound who lives with Honey, a cat, and Master Horace. During one of Horace's naps, Welly devours the meatloaf, burying the empty pan in Honey's litter box; drinks from the toilet; and swallows the contents of the kitchen garbage can. The two pets have a tumultuous relationship, and the cat is determined to expose Wellington; she even taunts him with threats of a dreaded bath. Master Horace awakens from his nap and takes the dog for a walk. When they return home, they discover that Honey has excavated the empty pan and is sitting in it on the hall rug. Wellington fears that his misdeed will be disclosed, but Master Horace reprimands the cat for eating the meatloaf and gives Wellington a bone for being a good dog. While there are references to past conflicts between the pets, some readers might be confused by the animosity these animals have for one another. The somewhat rambling text is peppered with gross-out incidents, such as Wellington emptying the contents of his stuffed belly and then licking up the mess. Kerrigan's comical, softly hued crayon and watercolor cartoon illustrations portray a seemingly clueless hound and a sneaky, fluffy orange cat. Readers looking for a better book about a dog and cat relationship may want to check out Peter McCarty's Hondo and Fabian (Holt, 2002).—Shawn Brommer, South Central Library System, Madison, WI
One day, while Master dozes, dog Wellington manages to gobble meatloaf with impunity, swill garbage to the point of nausea, then eagerly slurp up his own vomit. The in-your-face gross-out element, with support from Kerrigan's enthusiastic illustrations, feels forced; readers who aren't put off by all the puke may be amused.

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