Houndsley and Catina and Cousin Wagster    by James Howe & Marie-Louise Gay Order:  USA  Can Candlewick, 2018 (2018) Hardcover     Reviewed by Hilary Williamson James Howe's Houndsley and Catina and Cousin Wagster (illustrated in lovely watercolors by Marie-Louise Gay) is one of a chapter book series about two best friends, Houndsley and Catina. Will Houndsley's cousin's visit change their friendship? World traveler Wagster is loud and exuberant, quite different from Houndsley. He immediately charms Catina by calling her 'a vision in whiskers and fur.' Houndsley starts to feel invisible. That night, Houndsley invites Bert to join them for dinner and Wagster upstages him again by making a fabulous 'brownie crumble with butterscotch sauce' (sounds yummy!) and showing how good he is at everything. Then, at their dance lesson, Catina can't stop talking about Houndsley's cousin, and he finally tells her what's bothering him - which is when Catina compares Wagster to a butterfly! Houndsley and Catina and Cousin Wagster is a sweet story, with some good lessons about the value of an enduring friendship. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Kids books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews