Pinky and Rex and the Double-Dad Weekend

Pinky and Rex #7

by James Howe, Melissa Sweet (Illustrator)

Pinky and Rex are looking forward to a camping adventure with their dads. They'll hike in the woods and roast marshmallows over a campfire. But a thunderstorm has come along to ruin all their plans. How can the best friends save their double-dad weekend?

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

48 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

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

James Howe has written more than eighty books in the thirty-plus years he's been writing for young readers. It sometimes confuses people that the author of the humorous Bunnicula series also wrote the dark young adult novel, The Watcher, or such beginning reader series as Pinky and Rex and the E.B. White Read Aloud Award-winning Houndsley and Catina and its sequels. But from the beginning of his career (which came about somewhat by accident after asking himself what kind of vampire a rabbit might make), he has been most interested in letting his imagination take him in whatever direction it cared to. So far, his imagination has led him to picture books, such as I Wish I Were a Butterfly and Brontorina (about a dinosaur who dreams of being a ballerina), mysteries, poetry (in the upcoming Addie on the Inside), and fiction that deals with issues that matter deeply to him. He is especially proud of The Misfits, which inspired national No Name-Calling Week (www.nonamecallingweek.org) and its sequel Totally Joe. He does not know where his imagination will take him in the next thirty-plus years, but he is looking forward to finding out.

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Reviews

[Calista · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pinky and Rex go camping with their dad's. It rains so they have an indoor weekend doing other fun things.

A nice little beginning book. Not a whole lot exciting here. I still think it's a decent series. This did not have a lot of entertainment.

[Christa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read. It's at a 3rd grade reading level, and turns gender "norms" on its ears. Superb discussion starter for kids about what makes people "boys" and "girls" (and just as importantly, what doesn't!)

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

We've read a couple of books in the Pinky and Rex series by James Howe and Melissa Sweet and we enjoy reading them together. We found this book on a display at our local library in honor of Father's Day, so we decided to borrow it. It's a fun story and I like how it shows the Dads and kids making the best of a weekend when things didn't go as planned.

[Josiah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed this short, nicely written story by James Howe.
The adventures of Pinky and Rex continue in a new direction as the two pseudonymous best friends and their dads go out for a weekend camping trip. Though all does not go exactly as they had originally planned, the foursome is able to adjust to these unforseen differences, and their trip is better than they had even hoped.
This is a good story.

[Rose]

E How

[Lu · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like that the 2 male friends hang out together with their children for the weekend. I’ve never heard of any of my friends or my friends fathers doing that alone. I like the idea of male bonding over fatherhood.

The story was okay. Nothing overly dramatic. I’m giving it an extra star for teaching me a way to remember the difference between stalagmites and stalactites and a new term.

P14
“Stalagmite pushes up with all its might. Stalactite hangs down, holding tight.”

P21 TYPO
heavy sign —-> should be “heavy”

P22
“… if you’re thinking of short-sheeting me…”
(I’ve never heard this term before).

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pinky & Rex are ready for a weekend with their dads in the great outdoors. As they leave, the rain begins to fall. Piny's dad & Rex's dad have to get creative to keep Pinky & Rex entertained for the weekend.

Teaching points: rainy weather, friendship, camping, compromise, siblings

Grade level: 2-3

Location: LES library

Related reads:
Bailey Goes Camping by Kevin Henkes
A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever by Marla Frazee

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just love this series... it's a comfort read, full of love, joy, and making the best of a bad situation. I do have to admit that Amanda is a bit too annoying and deserves some depth, but I'm sure she'll get a chance before the end of the series.

[Danette · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pinky is a strange name for a boy.... :)

8/29/2018 Read with Julia.

[Pamela Powell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very cute ready-to-read book about two young friends attempting a camping trip with their dads, except it rains all weekend.

[Mary Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book reminded me of weekend trips I used to take with my dad and his best friend and his son. Such good memories!