Identifying Themes in Henry and Mudge

Activity Overview

Several themes are present in the book. Students can pick a theme to explore and should support their choice with specific details or events from the text. One prominent theme is “friendship”. Henry and Mudge become great friends. They learn how much they really care about each other when Mudge gets lost. They learn that they never want to feel like they’ve lost each other again.

Friendship

Example 1

Mudge can't find his way home and Henry can't find Mudge. They are both very sad and miss each other, just like friends do.

• Mudge: "He whined a little, alone without Henry."
• Henry: "When Henry called and called but Mudge didn't come, Henry's heart hurt and he cried for an hour.”

Example 2

Henry and Mudge are happy when they see each other every day.

• "Every day when Henry woke up, he saw Mudge's big head. And every day when Mudge woke up, he saw Henry's small face. "

Other themes that can be explored are: responsibility, pets, problem-solving, companionship, family, life lessons, and loyalty.

Template and Class Instructions

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