• Age: 4 to 7
• Grade: p to 2
• Reading age: 4 to 7

A brand-new look for a classic story.

First published in 1979, this was the first of Robert Munsch’s oral stories to be turned into a book. Since then, it has made countless children (and adults) all around the world laugh out loud.

When Jule Ann goes outside, a mud puddle jumps on her and gets her dirty all over. No sooner does her mother scrub her clean than she ventures out again, only to be pounced upon by the pesky mud puddle. The cycle continues until finally Jule Ann gets the better of the mud puddle with cheerful ingenuity and two bars of smelly yellow soap.

Lively, clever artwork by award-winning illustrator Dusan Petricic gives this bestselling picture book a fresh and energetic look that will charm a new generation of young readers.

El reconocido narrador ROBERT MUNSCH ha escrito decenas de libros para niños, entre ellos: Paper Bag Princess y Mortimer. Él vive con su familia en Guelph, Ontario.

Robert Munsch's profile page

Duan Petricic was born in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, but loved to pretend that he grew up in Zemun, an old city located just across the river (and now a part of Belgrade). As a boy he did all the forbidden things that children do, but what Duan loved most was to draw. He started drawing at age four and, encouraged by his parents, he never stopped. He found inspiration in everything, and drawing became a way to communicate with the people around him. Two books that were very important to his childhood were an old encyclopedia with lots of pictures and The Boys from Pavel’s Street by Ferenc Molnár. Early on, he was moved by the drawings found within the encyclopedia. As he grew older, he adored many artists, including Leonardo da Vinci, Dürer, and Picasso. Duan has been illustrating children’s books for many years. He has received numerous honors and awards for his work, in North America and internationally, including an IBBY Certificate of Honour and an Alberta Book Award for On Tumbledown Hill (Red Deer Press). The Longitude Prize (FSG) was selected as a Robert F. Siebert Honor Book for a Distinguished Informative Book for Children in the US. His beautiful, evocative illustrations for Mattland (2009) by Hazel Hutchins and Gail Herbert garnered Duan the Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator’s Award from the Canadian Library Association as well as the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award. His illustrations for Better Together (2011) by Sheryl and Simon Shapiro were described as “sublime” by Kirkus Reviews. When it came time to reissue Robert Munsch’s Mud Puddle (2012), Duan was Annick’s first choice to reillustrate the classic. The results are a fresh and energetic look that will delight a whole new generation of young Munsch fans. Duan’s latest book, The Man with the Violin (2013), was greeted with rave reviews, including starred reviews in Kirkus and uill & uire. Written by Kathy Stinson, this beautifully evocative picture book tells the true story of world-renowned violinist, Joshua Bell, who conducted an experiment by anonymously playing his priceless violin in the Washington D.C. subway station. Luckily for Duan, his profession is his favorite hobby and he is happy when at work. To young artists he would give this advice: “Think, think, think, think, draw!” Duan lives in Toronto where he is a regular contributor as an editorial cartoonist in the Toronto Star.

Dusan Petricic's profile page

“... a perfect example of how Munsch’s stories can elicit joy from, and provide amusement to, both younger and older readers all over the globe.”—CM Reviews, 10/12

“Whether you are a long-time fan of the incredible Robert Munsch or not, you will surely enjoy this clever tale.” —Provo Library Children’s Book Review, 02/15/13

“As always, a delightful Robert Munsch story.”—Resource Links, 12/12

“... young preschoolers will love the mucky action and detail.”—Booklist, 10/12

“[Petricic’s art] gives it a fresh look for young readers and will delight a new audience.”—Sal’s Fiction Addiction, 08/31/12

“This book is sure to be popular with fans of Robert Munsch, young and old.”—Quebec Library Association, 08/13