Book notes: McDuff series

Going through a stack of used books, getting them cleaned up for the store, I came across three picture books for young children. They looked to be cute, and fast reads, so I settled in.

McDuff and the Baby first. A white terrier has jealousy problems when a baby arrives and he doesn't get as much attention as before. But he comes around in the end. Delightful. (I especially like the page where "McDuff gave the baby terrible squinting looks. The baby didn't mind at all.") The illustrations are wonderful. Fred and Lucy, McDuff's owners, are wonderful people, who radiate intelligence, friendliness, love and joy.

McDuff Comes Home next. The white terrier McDuff sees a rabbit and does his level best to catch it. By the time the rabbit goes down a hole, McDuff has torn off his collar, losing his tag. He is lost, and exhausted. A kindly lady finds him, and helps him find his way home. Just the sight of an old lady in an old-fashioned dress driving a motorcycle with a terrier in the sidecar is worth getting the book. Delightful book. The illustrations are wonderful. Fred and Lucy, McDuff's owners, are wonderful people, who radiate intelligence, friendliness, love and joy. I know I said that about the other book, but I'm impressed by this. How nice to have such charming adults in a kids' book, for a change. (I don't know if you've noticed, but a lot of adults in kids' books leave much to be desired.)

Finally, McDuff Moves In. Oops, this is the starting book in the series. I probably should have started here. A nameless terrier is lost and looking for somewhere to go, and people keep telling him to go away -- until he meets the delightful, good-natured, intelligent, compassionate Lucy and Fred.

My copies are Scholastic school market editions, and the covers don't match what I see for sale elsewhere. But I presume that if the book in question has Rosemary Wells as the author and Susan Jeffers as the illustrator, you'd be getting essentially the same books I read.

There are, I find, lots of books in this series. For instance:


McDuff Moves In


McDuff Goes to School


McDuff's Hide-and-Seek: Lift the Flap Pull the Tab


McDuff Saves the Day

And many more. Too fun.

The books are set several decades ago, from the clothing, cars, and other clues. For instance, the big entertainment in the evening is sitting down to listen to the radio. Anybody who's seen the books and is better than I am at fashions and styles might help me out here. I'm guessing 1930s, give or take a few years? Am I close?