McDuff Moves In

By Rosemary Wells; Illustrated by Susan Jeffers

Book cover titled "McDuff Moves In" featuring an illustration of a white dog with a red collar sitting on a circular brick platform with water and rain falling around it.

McDuff Moves In is back to warm hearts and charm a new generation of readers in this beautifully reissued edition of a beloved classic.

Written by the legendary Rosemary Wells and brought to life with the luminous illustrations of Caldecott Honor winner Susan Jeffers, this timeless tale is set in the 1930s and follows a scruffy little dog who leaps from a dogcatcher’s truck in search of a place to call home.

When Fred and Lucy find the pup wandering their neighborhood, they welcome him in with a bath and a meal—but question whether their busy lives can accommodate a pet. As they head toward the pound, a change of heart pulls them back home, where they realize this dog has already become family.

In a sweet, late-night celebration, they name him McDuff—after their favorite shortbread cookie—and begin a new life together. A tender, nostalgic story about love, second chances, and the joy of finding where you belong.

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Classroom Guide
Series of three illustrations showing a white dog running, each with a different body position and speed.

  • Dogs, Animal Welfare, Adoption

  • 25 Pages

  • Hardcover

  • 3-7 Years

  • Preschool - 2nd Grade

  • 0940719428

  • 9780940719422

A woman in pajamas feeding a small dog with a spoon from a blue bowl.

Reviews

  • The New York Times

    “Living creatures do not get any cuter than McDuff.

    Jeffers's illustrations are like old photographs of a bygone America made new—everything from the zinnias to the bathrobes is like virtual-reality nostalgia, old but unfaded. Jeffers is also a delightfully observant dog owner.”

  • Booklist

    “This collaboration by Wells and Jeffers is as sweet, substantial, and comforting as that bowl of ice pudding and will suit the many children who like stories with simple words, clear story lines, and happily-ever-after endings.”

  • Collette Morgan (Wild Rumpus Books)

    “A classic rescue tale resurfaces in all its retro glory! Susan Jeffers’s colors drench each page, and Rosemary Wells’s story of a discarded Westie finding his forever home can’t help but elicit warm feelings. Welcome back, McDuff!!”

  • Vicki Palmquist (Bookology Magazine)

    “The text is the perfect length, with a turn-the-page pacing. The colors are sumptuous, rich, and warm...This is a wonderful book for your home collection or your stash of classroom books about caring for animals. Highly recommended.”

  • Tracy W. (Reader)

    "How could this beautiful book be anything but 5 stars? Rosemary Wells' story is heartwarming, and the illustrations by Susan Jeffers are so beautifully drawn and evocative of its 1930s setting. I hoped this book would be one I could read with my young grandchildren, and I absolutely plan to do so as soon as possible, maybe all snuggled up with a bowl of rice pudding each made from the recipe at the back of the book...I would recommend it to anyone who remembers the original, likes beautifully illustrated work, or is a dog lover; in fact, everyone who wants a little hug of a book to make you feel good. "

  • Catherine H. (Educator)

    "This is a beautifully illustrated book. You can’t help but fall in love with the little white dog ‘McDuff’. The underlying message is there’s a home for everyone. And if there’s a place in your home, rehome an unwanted pet."

  • Sheri S. (Reader)

    “I read this book to my 5 year old daughter and she loved it! Her favorite part was “how they helped the dog because helping people is nice.” The illustrations are beautiful! I highly recommend this book for kids. It has a great message.”

  • Ran F. (Reader)

    "As someone who loves dogs, I appreciate all the details that go into the little lost dog through this adventure. You can study the pages for new details after more than one read…It’s the kind of book you can read again and again with your kiddos and allow them to do the “Woofs” for McDuff the whole way. I greatly applaud in info in the back about helping other dogs that need forever homes, and I look forward to trying the recipe, too."

A white fluffy dog sitting among pink tulips on a purple background; a street scene at night with a dog walking away in front of houses and trees.
A dog sitting in a puddle during rain with trees, a house, and a mailbox in the background.
A man and woman in sleeping robes look at a fluffy white dog on the left and the dog follows the woman on the right.
Two scenes from a story about a small, wet, white dog. In the first scene, a woman in a blue patterned robe and a man in a blue and red robe are giving the dog a herbal bath, making the dog look like a snow cloud. In the second scene, a man in a red
Illustration of two women and a dog sitting on a couch in a cozy room, sharing chocolates. A large tin of McDuff's Melt Shortbread Biscuits is on the table, with some biscuits inside. The women are wearing pajamas, and one woman has a small dog on he