McDuffy y El Bebe

McDuff

by Rosemary Wells, Susan Jeffers (Illustrator)

Illustrator Susan Jeffers is perhaps best known for her charming, nostalgic work in the McDuff series. These endearing tales, illustrated by Jeffers and written by Rosemary Wells, follow the life and adventures of McDuff, a spunky West Highland terrier. With her realistic imagery and richly hued palette, Jeffers serves up a storybook version of 1930s England, the perfect playground for McDuff and his memorable cast of characters.In addition to the McDuff series, Susan has also illustrated this spring's Love Songs of the Little Bear, written by Margaret Wise Brown, an endearing picture book that celebrates the profundity in everyday moments and simple things. Jeffers has also adapted and illustrated the New York Times' best-seller Brother Eagle, Sister Sky and The Three Jovial Huntsmen, for which she received a Caldecott Honor Award and illustrated Lassie Come-Home, written by Rosemary Wells.Westie lovers will be thrilled to learn that McDuff's adventures continue this fall with Jeffers and Wells's latest collaboration, McDuff Goes to School, introducing a lovable new friend -- a black Scottie named Marie Antoinette.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Dogs, Animals, Fiction, Storytime, Family

32 pages, Hardcover

First published October 16, 1997

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Rosemary Wells is an American writer and illustrator of children's books. She often uses animal characters to address real human issues. Some of her most well-known characters are Max & Ruby and Timothy from Timothy Goes To School (both were later adapted into Canadian-animated preschool television series, the former’s airing on Nickelodeon (part of the Nick Jr. block) and the latter’s as part of PBS Kids on PBS).

Reviews

[Jon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hildy's current favorite. The first sight of the baby particularly delights her. Someone could make a billion dollars creating a book full of pictures of doggies, babies, baby doggies, doggies with babies, and doggie babies with babies. Throw in some kitties and you can control the entire infant population of the planet, perhaps manipulating them for evil. So maybe it's too dangerous. Forget I mentioned it.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute....McDuff the little Westie. I had a Westie for 14 years. Personally I never trusted her with small toddlers and younger aged kids. Yet,as a breed they are supposed to be great with kids. I really love the illustrations and think the storyline is good too. Dogs, like people, do get jealous and depressed when they feel like they are being replaced.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

McDuff and his parents, Lucy and Fred, live an ideal life. McDuff is a pampered and well loved dog who enjoys taking walks in the woods, listening to comics read out loud, and listening to his favorite music program on the radio. Then one fateful day, McDuff's comfy life comes to a screeching halt when Fred and Lucy bring home a new baby. No longer the center of attention, McDuff goes into a mild depression which eventually leads to him to not eating. When his parents realize he is feeling left out because of all the love they've been giving the new baby, they begin including McDuff in family activities. Eventually he gives up his sibling rivalry protests and they all become a happy family. Dogs rule, babies drool.

[Tatiana · Rating 4 out of 5]

McDuff, an adorable West Highland White Terrier “Westie,” resembles an older sibling who is feeling snubbed of his parents’ attention when the new baby is born. His owners spend more time with the baby than him, and on top of it all, the baby doesn’t seem to notice that McDuff is miffed with her! What is a pet to do? The 40’s styling of the illustrations lends this little tale an old-fashioned air. It is impossible not to be charmed as McDuff learns the same lesson as all big siblings: Parents don’t split their love; it multiplies.

[Ali Book&Seaglasshunter · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute read for families who have added a new sibling to the mix. McDuff is a little dog who was used to being the center of attention-until his humans, Lucy and Fred bring home a new baby. McDuff feels lonely and forgotten as they have less time to spend on his favorite things, like sniffing skunk tracks in the wet leaves at the park. But soon Lucy and Fred notice that McDuff isn’t quite himself, and they find ways for the whole family to get quality time together, and one on one. I love the reassuring message that provides to readers who may be facing similar feelings of displacement when a new baby arrives. I also really love the illustrations which have a vintage theme. There are lots of details from the style of dress, to the home decor that make this a fun book to look at and the 20s (?) setting switches it up from the many modern settings children’s books.

[Gabrielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really cute book about the transition animals make when new members join their family. The dog is this story is loving his life. His owners spoil him. The owners then have a baby. McDuff doesn't feel loved anymore so he stops eating. At the end, McDuff is loved just as much as he was in the beginning. I think this would be a great read to a toddler that may have a new sibling being added to the family.

[Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

From the day McDuff moved in with Fred and Lucy, his life was happy. He had his own bed, Fred read the comics to him at breakfast, Lucy took him on walks along the skunk trail, and the three of them listened to their favorite program on the radio. But then the baby arrived, and life seemed to change for McDuff.

[Bryce Decker]

McDuff thinks his owners don't love him as much once the new puppy comes home. The new puppy doesn't even notice he's mad at him. McDuff learns the valuable lesson that parents don't split their love it multiplies with every new child.

[Patricia Bleile · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story was very cute. I would definitely use this story as one to read aloud to my students inside the classroom. I would also have a separate activity, whether it be a quiz or not, to test their understanding of the story.

[Blair · Rating 3 out of 5]

McDuff is the baby until the human baby comes along! Now he is adjusting to life with a baby and how busy his parents now are. They see that McDuff is sad and they go back to doing all his favorite things with him and the baby.

[Miki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute book with a 1940's feel to the illustrations. Imagine....listening to the radio in the evenings, instead of watching TV!!!

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great read about Mcduff.

[Charity Yost Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

These simple storylines of McDuff are easy to follow and have simple 1960s-type illustrations. My kids and I love reading about this adorable little dog.

[Cris · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good intro to a little brother or sister.

[W.E. Fleischmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Terrific big sibling book! Adorable pictures. Good story.
Woof!

[Karol · Rating 3 out of 5]

McDuff goes through the transition of a growing family and the changes that come with it.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

McDuff has to get used to the new baby. Life changes in their home.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a video of me reading this to my students on my Youtube channel. It was a fun read and being able to relive the memories make it even better.

[Darlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

McDuff is a favorite of my grandaughter and I.

[Terri Borkgren · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great story I shared with my granddaughter and now my great grandchildren.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, I 'read' the stories simply by looking at the art and guessing what the text would read. I did pretty well, missing only two of the pages. Kids will like the story, especially the last page.

[Abby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read to Sam.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the disapproving terrible squinting looks McDuff gave the baby from across the room. Too cute.

[Maya Andrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations, funny cute story. We love this book.

[Andrés · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charming, expressive illustrations and a relatable story about life changes when a new baby arrives.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

The ever expressive Westie, McDuff faces the challenges of change when a tiny human stranger arrives at number 7 Elm Road.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

My daughter pulled this book off the shelf at the library. I'm glad she did. It reminded me of when we brought her home from the hospital and the adjustment that our dogs had to the situation.

The story is about McDuff, a dog, who was basically his owner's baby, until they had a baby of their own. Naturally, the baby got all the attention and McDuff's lifestyle changed a lot. He also had to deal with the baby pulling on him and yelling and crying at all hours of the night. He felt left out and forgotten. Eventually he stops eating. This is when his owners realize something is wrong and the changes that have occurred for him. So they start including him again. It makes McDuff happy. He even warms up to the baby.

This story is very similar to my story about my dogs and when I brought my daughter home. They had some serious adjustments of moving down the ladder. They had to learn what was their toys and what was hers. Ironically, my pit bull is VERY good with her, but my lab has had a hard time adjusting. While she will let me daughter hug her every once in a while, she still generally runs away. I noticed that my lab became more accepting of my daughter (she was never violent or anything, she just didn't really want anything to do with her) once she started walking. It was like she realized, "Oh, ok, she's a human like them". Also when my daughter starting eating in a high chair and throwing food to them. Their best friends at food time! Haha.

My daughter really liked seeing the dog and baby together on the page. She's always loved her dogs. She will have tea parties with them and dress them up with jewelry. She likes to try to throw things for them to play fetch (she's not quite 2 yet, so she can't really throw far). It's just a really cute book about a dog and a baby.

I think this is a cute book that all pet parents should read before they bring home a new baby. Because, even though we know dogs are just dogs, they still have feelings. It's hard to remember that sometimes. Especially when you're thrown in to taking care of a baby without any real preparation. My dogs are lucky they got fed in the mornings! haha.

[Karah Webb · Rating 4 out of 5]

This cute little book is about the famous McDuff, the Scotty dog. He is introducing us to a new subject, a baby in the home. We all know McDuff as the happy and beloved little house dog who lives Fred and Lucy. By the illustrations, the reader can tell that this book is set back a few decades, where the family listens to a show via the radio, and the design of the baby's stroller is very old-fashioned.
In this story, McDuff is loving life, living with Fred and Lucy, until his whole routine gets messed up because a stranger is brought home one day. This stranger is Fred and Lucy's new baby. McDuff does not like the new baby because she is taking up all of Fred and Lucy's attention, with none of it left over for him. With the new baby around, the comics are not read to him, they do not go on walks in the woods, and they do not listen to their favorite show anymore. Until one day Fred and Lucy realize McDuff is feeling left out, and they solve the problem right away.
I love all of the McDuff stories, and I'm surprised that I had not read this one before. Younger children will love this book because it is about something that they might all be experiencing: a new baby brother or sister.

[Robert Beveridge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rosemary Wells, McDuff and the Baby (Hyperion, 1997)

McDuff and the Baby is (as far as I can tell) the third of the McDuff stories, and it's the bean's favorite of the bunch—I assume because of the last page. As far as I'm concerned, it's the weakest of them. The language is at its most awkward here, and the illustrations seem almost as if they were stock pieces that have no relation to the story at all (in none of the pictures before the baby arrives does Lucy look pregnant, for example). But, as always, Dave's reaction to the book is the final arbiter when it comes to pre-lit these days, so this one gets a higher rating than McDuff Comes Home; I can't tell you why, but this one is a hit with at least my part of the pre-lit set. Parents, on the other hand, may lose patience with it rather quickly. ** ½

[Brittany Cullen]

McDuff and the baby is a great story for an only child who learns they aren't going to be an only child anymore. Instead of using a child learning they are getting another sibling, they use a dog who gets everything from its owners until they bring home a baby and McDuff feels ignored because the family don't do any of their walks or share time together anymore. This is a great lesson book because McDuff learns to like the baby and at the end they are friends and the parents realize the dog is sad and go back to doing all their old activities with the dog. The dog goes through all the emotions an only child may go through and how to be happy and that having a sibling isn't so bad.