McDuff and the Baby (new design) by
Rosemary Wells
Mcduff Is So Cute!
When Fred and Lucy bring home a new baby, McDuff is worried! It’s been
just the three of them ever since McDuff moved in! Is there really room for
one more in their family?
Personal Review: McDuff and the Baby (new design) by
Rosemary Wells
The McDuff series is famous for both its lovable dogdy hero, and its
uncanny re-creation of late 1940's America. From architecture to fashion to
cultural mores, author Rosemary Wells' books are superb period pieces.
With the irrepressible McDuff at the center, the series has something for
adults as well as youngsters.
Unfortunately, many of the original books have been replaced by "new
design" versions: The illustrations have fewer details, and the books don't

evoke place (small town America--perhaps New England) and time as well.
However, this particular "new design" book comes closer to the original
versions than some others (e.g., "McDuff's Wild Romp"). One sees more
shading and detail in McDuff's fur, for example, and the pictoorial style and
color selection do justice to the series.
In "McDuff and the Baby," the comfortably ensconced dog is challenged by
the arrival of Fred and Lucy's new baby girl. (When I read those names, I
often wonder if Desi and Ethel can be far behind, testimony, perhaps, to
the book's nostalgic tone.) Like most babies, this one requires a great deal
of attention, and McDuff soon finds that his usual routines must make way
for the new addition. No more walks in the animal-scented woods (the
stroller cannot negotiate it), no more late evening family radio time (the
baby is crying for something), not even Fred--a la Fiorella LaGuardia--
reading the comics to him at breakfast. The baby just laughs and McDuff's
growls, and, to add injury to insult, she pulls on his beard!
McDuff is so upset that he doesn't eat. He doesn't decide not to eat, he's
not manipulative, he's just vey upset. (One reviewer here believes that
McDuff' serves as a bad role model for kids trying to deal with sibling
rivalry.) In any event, Fred and Lucy realize (finally) that McDuff's loss of
appetite might be due to all the changes. They decide to get him back into
the woods, read the comics, take the entire family outside to listen to the
radio (a wonderful example of compromise and adaptation), and even treat
McDuff to "his favorite treat of vanilla rice pudding with sausage slice."
Things smooth over very nicely, and there's a very brief but funny
exchange that closes the story:
"'Woof,' said McDuff.
`Woof,' said the baby."
This is an excellent book whether your little one is dealing with new sibs or
not. While this is the "new design" version, I think illustrator Jeffers equals
(or comes very close to) her earlier work, and the narrative flows easily,
with style and humor.
(Note: For an example of what you're missing with the 2006 new design,
go to "Look Inside" above, click on "Copyright" and you'll see a beautiful
overview of the town, not included in this 2006 version.)
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