Dudley and Monster

Dudley is a plucky little mouse whose forte is surviving and overcoming potentially dangerous situations through sheer bemused incompetence. In Dudley and the Monster, the affable fellow visits a nest of baby birds and is too busy playing to notice that a cat has crept up behind him. He inadvertently tickles the cat's nose with a feather, causing the cat to sneeze violently and run off in a fright. In Dudley Goes Flying, the mouse is hanging by his tail from a tree branch, cleaning out his chimney, when an owl swoops down at him. Dudley falls but catches a passing leaf, which parachutes him down to his safe home. ""Back inside his warm, snug house, Dudley found the kettle boiling merrily. He made a large pot of teaand ate a specially large piece of cake. Dudley began to think that it might be time for a nap.'' The extraordinary illustrations are richly detailed in the style of many British children's books. They focus dramatically on the central action in each picture, allowing the young reader to direct his attention to the unfolding tale. (2-6)