Harry likes ladies, no problem there.

But then again; THIS new lady is an opera singer.

And she has moved into the house right next to Harry's. And, she practices.

She practices all day long. She sings loud, and, she sings high. Really, really high. And she sings really, really loud.

The lady next door can sing louder than screaming cats, and the peanut vendor's whistle. She can even sing louder than a fire engine siren.

Poor Harry, that singing hurts his ears. Harry does not like the tone. The tone is just too high and it is just too loud.

Harry is determined to silence the lady next door. He bites the piano leg, he howls, he herds cows. Maybe; if the lady hears the lovely L-O-W sounds cows make, she will begin to sing the same low tones.

That doesn't work.

He brings a band. The tuba makes a lovely low sound. Nothing works. The lady does not stop singing loud and high.

At last he steals the lady's music only to learn that the lady does not need the music, she keeps right on singing.

At last the lady wins a competition and she receives the opportunity to study opera far, far away.

Harry and his family go with the lady to say goodbye when she sets off on a big ship. As her ship sets sail, Harry can hear her singing.

And then, the ship's foghorn sounds.

Harry was delighted.  He thought the tone to be the most lovely good-bye song he had ever heard!

Harry and the Lady Next Door has been staple in my K-1 classroom from the first weeks when I began teaching in California some thirty+ years ago. The children loved the book then; they love it no less now.

As a Primary level teacher, I particularly like the Harry books for the reason that the chronicle presents Harry in a tricky situation he works to solve, artworks are low key and child friendly, there are no overelaborate, over detailed or too bright images, in addition thee vocabulary is aimed at emergent reader/listeners.

Pictures are filled with action without being over drawn or disproportionately detailed. Images are created using straight forward, high-spirited strokes. Scenes are tranquil and a bit indistinct with ample white space on the page. Children's eyes are drawn readily to Harry and his activities.

Harry and the Lady Next Door (An I Can Read Picture Book) is another in our collection of 'Harry' books. Fifteen pairs of bright eyes fill with pleasure as my resident critics hurry to get ready for 'reading time on the rug.'

 Harry and the Lady Next Door finds our beloved white dog with the black spots, Harry, up to his ears in desolation. Even though we have read the tale before; and the class fully knows, what is coming children’s attention does not falter as they crowd close and 'talk' the story with me.

Each strategy Harry comes up with to get the lady to stop singing so high and so loud is met with gales of giggles. The kids continue to be enchanted by the droll antics of this engaging dog.

Children shadow the narrative through listening and images.  I find the book works well for class discussion once the reading is complete. It works as well for class ‘reading’ again as children tell the story to themselves while viewing the illustrations as I turn the pages.

I like the discussions which follow as the children have become more eloquent and are better able to articulate that Harry's actions are not inspired from mischief, or an unkind spirit; rather he is first attempting to convince the lady to just stop.  

And then, after he comprehends that lower tones do not pain his ears, he hopes to alter her manner of singing. He herds the cows and the band toward the lady's house in his struggle to show her that lower tones are pleasanter than high, strident ones.

Harry and the Lady Next Door provides the class the chance to converse regarding how and why BIG noisy voices in the classrooms can cause us problems quite as the lady and her penetrating, earsplitting voice caused problems for Harry.

Thirty thumbs up from 15 bright eyed first graders in Osage County, Oklahoma.

I am happy to recommend Harry and the Lady Next Door as a dandy choice for children's pleasure reading during DEAR reading activity, as well as it has a place on the classroom reading shelf, the school and public library list and for homeschoolers reading offerings. 

Harry and the Lady Next Door will be a welcome addition to children’s personal bookshelf and is a nice addition for gifting a special birthday child, emergent readers and for gifting the class on first day of school.

 21 formats including  school and library binding, paperback,  audio, cassette, kindle

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  Reviewed by: MOLLY REVIEWS BOOKS    molly martin    

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 http://www.AuthorsDen.com/mjhollingshead

   35+ years classroom teacher

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 AMAZON  BIOGRAPHY   Gene Zion and two-time Caldecott Honor winner Margaret Bloy Graham have collaborated on several favorite stories about Harry: Harry by the Sea, Harry the Dirty Dog, and No Roses for Harry.