Harry and the Lady Next Door

Harry and the Lady Next Door
Gene Zion with pictures by Margaret Bloy Graham/ published 1960 by Harper & Row

My husband informed me that I have a pile of little packages waiting at home for me from a myriad of online used book sellers (I've done some late night surfing here in Mexico during my evenings alone), so be guaranteed that next week's posts will be jammed packed with rare finds and yummy treats! In the meantime, as the last post from my son's paperback collection we brought to Mexico (and my last post from Mexico period), please give it up for my son's favorite book in the Harry the Dirty Dog series (though Harry by the Sea is pretty up there too).

All around him were cows mooing.
They mooed very low notes.
Harry listened.
He thought the cows made beautiful music.
He had never heard anything so soft and low.
He wished the lady next door would sing like the cows.
Suddenly Harry had an idea.

In this episode, we find Harry the black and white dog utterly annoyed by the vocal antics of his operatic neighbor. In order to drown out her incessant caterwauling, he enlists dogs, cows and even a marching band. Though ultimately, he finally finds the answer to his ears in a pair of funny frogs. Such a hoot. The illustrated, upturned nose of the neighbor is beyond snooty, and the lovely sounds that Harry hears are a gas to read aloud. Music to my mouth.

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