The Trouble With Henriette
"The trouble with Henriette," according to Jolie's grandfather, "is that she can't find a truffle." For a French truffle hound, that spells failure?and also spells this particular pooch's imminent replacement with a more efficient model. But the canny canine surprises everyone by locating truffles once more, albeit in a comically inappropriate setting. The Devlins, creators of the Cranberryport series, enliven their pet-in-jeopardy tale with an engaging dose of Gallic charm in both text and pictures. Harry Devlin composes buildings, interiors and characters with architectural precision; his ink-and-watercolor illustrations abound with minute, often amusing details. His frequently muted colorations plus the characters' stock cartoony faces give this book an old-fashioned appearance, while Henriette's redemption adds a measure of warmth. If youngsters need to be educated about gourmandise to grasp Henriette's plight, that's but a truffle, er, trifle. Ages 4-7.Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.