At a used bookstore, I picked up a copy of this old classic to read for old time's sake. The version published by Gallery Books in 1986 is in a large 9x 12 format. Each page is filled with the classic Disney illustrations atop which the text is printed in readily legible form. The "Lady" of the title is a perfectly coiffed cocker spaniel, a virtual queen of the household. In contrast, "Tramp" is a mongrel who roams the neighborhood. When Lady's owners "Dear" and "Jim Darling" leave Lady in the hands of strict Aunt Sarah, Sarah's nasty Siamese cats get Lady in trouble, and she's chained up in the backyard. Tramp helps Lady escape, and they visit the back of an Italian restaurant for a romantic dinner. Then they make trouble at a nearby chicken coop, for which they are thrown into the dog pound. Later, when a large rat sneaks into the baby's room, Lady and Tramp rescue the baby, and after attendant misunderstandings and difficulties, they are "become engaged" and then "married"; and by Xmas, four new puppies are cavorting under the tree.

The classic story, of course, is one of love triumphing despite potential barriers of social class, and notwithstanding the efforts of a disapproving society to keep the lovers apart. I found it interesting to read from a modern perspective for the endorsement of traditional gender roles and for how traditional mythologies (e.g., "love conquers all") are upheld. Meanwhile, the genetics of reproduction are unusual in this pair, since of the four puppies, three look like miniature versions of Lady, and one (a mischievous pup) looks just like a little Tramp. :-)

A great choice for kids -- attractive, interesting, and beautifully illustrated! ( )