MRS. DONALD'S DOG BUN AND HIS HOME AWAY FROM HOME

A delightful story of a dog who longs for a home of his own. Bun is put out about his allotted space, a musty piece of carpet in the back hall. But when he has the chance to turn an abandoned playhouse into his palace, he finds himself overrun with visitorstony purebreds who criticize his decor, crowd him off his porch chair, and have a dog fight in his yard. Modeling himself on Mrs. Donald, Bun is unfailingly gracious and polite, but eventually he padlocks the playhouse and retreats to his familiar piece of carpet. Maxwell's gently humorous prose chronicles the finer feelings of a good old dog and his affectionate elderly owners. Stevenson's trademark ink and watercolor illustrations perfectly capture Bun's humble, unassuming character, the snooty attitude of his visitors, and Mrs. Donald's bemused demeanor, all with a few simple lines. Parents won't mind reading this one out loud as many times as it's requested. (Picture book. 4-8)