Weekend with Wendell

From Publishers Weekly
The author of Protecting Marie (see boxed review, p. 73) demonstrates his versatility in this fetchingly illustrated story about a young mouse houseguest and her reluctant mouse host. Ages 4-up. Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 3 Sophie and her parents count the hours until Wendell's weekend visit is over. Not only does he wreck Sophie's toys and dominate their games, but he also messes up the house and is generally a troublemaker. However, once Sophie manages to turn the table, she decides Wendell may not be so bad after all. Henkes' watercolor illustrations of the four mice are cheerful and amusing. The mice are lively, expressive, and appealing. Children may secretly wish that they could be as daring as Wendell, but they will also rejoice when Sally finally asserts herself. Kathy Piehl, Mankato State University, Minn.Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.



"A hilarious read-aloud."



"Plenty of humor, both textual and visual."


Book Description
Wendell was spending the weekend at Sophie's house. Playing house, Wendell was the mother, the father, and the children; Sophie was the dog. Playing bakery, Wendell was the baker; Sophie got to be the sweet roll. Wendell shone his flashlight in Sophie's eyes when she tried to sleep. But when he gave her a new hairdo with shaving cream, it was the last straw, and Sophie made up a game that left Wendell speechless for a time -- and won the day for friendship.


Card catalog description
Sophie does not enjoy energetic, assertive Wendell's weekend visit until the very end, when she learns to assert herself and finds out Wendell can be fun to play with after all.


About the Author
Kevin Henkes lives in Madison, Wisconsin. His novels include Protecting Marie and Words of Stone. Among his picture books are Owen, a 1994 Caldecott Honor Book; Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse; and Julius, the Baby of the World.In His Own Words..."I remember drawing at a very early age. I loved it. And my parents and teachers told me I was good at it -- that made me love it all the more.""I also loved books, and the ones I was lucky enough to own were reread, looked at over and over, and regarded with great respect. To me great respect' meant that I took them everywhere, and the ones I still own prove it. They're brimming with all the telltale signs of true love: dog-eared pages, fingerprints on my favorite illustrations, my name and address inscribed on both front and back covers in inch-high crayon lettering, and the faint smell of stale peanut butter on the bindings." "I wondered about authors and illustrators back then -- What did they look like? Where did they live? Did they have families? How old were they? -- but I never imagined that one day I would be one myself.""I became an author-illustrator when I was nineteen years old. I flew from my home in Racine, Wisconsin, to New York City with my portfolio, hoping to find a publisher. And magically enough Susan Hirschman at Greenwillow Books made my dream come true. My first picture book, All Alone, was published in 1987. Since then I've written and illustrated many picture books and written several novels. I like the variety of trying new ways to fill the pages between two covers. Experimenting with words and paint and ink keeps my job interesting." "I used to live with my parents and brothers and sister and work at a card table in my bedroom. Now I live with my wife, my son, and my daughter in our own house and work at a drawing table in my own studio. I never thought I'd be lucky enough to be a real author and illustrator. I wouldn't trade it for anything."


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PreS-Gr 3 Sophie and her parents count the hours until Wendell's weekend visit is over. Not only does he wreck Sophie's toys and dominate their games, but he also messes up the house and is generally a troublemaker. However, once Sophie manages to turn the table, she decides Wendell may not be so bad after all. Henkes' watercolor illustrations of the four mice are cheerful and amusing. The mice are lively, expressive, and appealing. Children may secretly wish that they could be as daring as Wendell, but they will also rejoice when Sally finally asserts herself. Kathy Piehl, Mankato State University, Minn.


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