Mr. Putter & Tabby Write the Book

Mr. Putter and Tabby Write the Book. (Mr. Putter and Tabby #13) Cynthia Rylant. Illustrated by Arthur Howard. 2004. 44 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: In the winter a big snow always came to Mr. Putter's house.

Premise/plot: In this early chapter book, Mr. Putter has an idea. At first it seems straightforward and simple. He wants to write a book: a mystery novel.

First he had to think of a title. He thought and thought and thought. Finally he told Tabby, "I shall call my book The Mystery of Lighthouse Cove." It was a very good title. It was full of mystery. As a boy he had read lots of books with titles like that.

He's so excited that he thought of a title that he celebrates by fixing a snack...and then taking a nap. Will Mr. Putter write a book?

My thoughts: I enjoyed this one very much. Sometimes the book you think you want to write isn't the book you need to write. I thought this one was funny and charming.

The third day that he was a mystery writer, Mr. Putter woke up ready to write again. He liked being a writer ready to write. First he and Tabby had cinnamon toast and tea. Then Mr. Putter petted Tabby and began to think. He looked out of his window, thinking. He looked at his fire, thinking. He looked at Tabby, thinking. 

I think everyone should write a book like Mr. Putter does. (It is NOT a mystery novel, but a list of good things that he's blessed with and thankful for.)

© 2018 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Mr. Putter and Tabby Stir the Soup

Mr. Putter and Tabby Stir the Soup. (Mr. Putter and Tabby #12) Cynthia Rylant. Illustrated by Arthur Howard. 2003. 44 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence:  Mr. Putter and his fine cat, Tabby, lived in an old house with an old porch and an old swing and lots of old things inside. Mr. Putter and Tabby didn't mind old things. They were old, too, so they felt right at home.

Premise/plot: Mr. Putter loves soup, but he never seems to have all the ingredients he wants to make soup all at the same time. And the one day it seems that he does, well, his old stove, Bessie, gives out. What's he to do? Who will come to his rescue?

My thoughts:  I enjoyed this one! I too love a good bowl of soup. And this early chapter book is funny. Mr. Putter ends up going to Mrs. Teaberry's house to cook his soup. Zeke, well, he has two sides to him: a good side and a terribly naughty side. Guess which Zeke Mr. Putter encounters?!

© 2018 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Mr. Putter and Tabby Catch the Cold

Mr. Putter and Tabby Catch the Cold. (Mr. Putter and Tabby #11) Cynthia Rylant. Arthur Howard, illustrator. 2002. 44 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Mr. Putter and his fine cat, Tabby, loved the snow.

Premise/plot: Mr. Putter catches a cold in this early chapter book. Who will take care of him? Perhaps Mrs. Teaberry?! But she surely doesn't want to get sick herself. Good thing she's clever.

My thoughts: I like this one okay. Mr. Putter catches a cold because he goes outside without his hat. It's implied that he gets sick because of the cold, damp weather. This irritated me. You get sick because of germs--not weather. If you have low to no immune system, you might catch cold more easily. But going out without a hat would never be the root cause of a cold. Putting that aside, it is cute that Zeke takes care of Mr. Putter!

© 2018 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Mr. Putter and Tabby Feed the Fish

Mr. Putter and Tabby Feed the Fish (Mr. Putter and Tabby #10) Cynthia Rylant. Illustrated by Arthur Howard. 2001. 44 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Mr. Putter and his fine cat, Tabby, loved going to the fish store. Mr. Putter loved it because he had owned goldfish as a boy. He had always liked goldfish. Tabby loved it because it made her whiskers tingle and her tail twitch. Tabby was old, but she still loved excitement. And fish were exciting!

Premise/plot: What will happen when Mr. Putter decide to buy three goldfish for his home?! Will Tabby be able to take all the excitement?! Maybe. Maybe not.

Mr. Putter watched. And Tabby batted. Bat. Bat. Bat. "Don't bat the fish, Tabby," said Mr. Putter. But Tabby couldn't help it. She got all twitchy. Bat went her paw on the glass. "No batting," said Mr. Putter. Bat. Bat. Bat. Bat. Finally Mr. Putter said, "Come on, Tabby, let's go to bed. We'll watch the fish tomorrow." Tabby wanted to go to bed. She needed to go to bed. She was tired from all that batting. But she couldn't move.

My thoughts: I really LOVED this one. Tabby steals the show in this early chapter book. I loved the writing. Even though this is the tenth book in the series, readers continue to learn new things about these two.

In one of my favorite scenes, Mr. Putter puts a bucket over the goldfish bowl so that Tabby can be "freed" of her addiction, her fascination. In the next scene, we see them watching birds out the window:

They watched birds instead of fish while they ate. Tabby didn't have a bird problem. Mr. Putter was glad. He wasn't sure he could get all those birds under one bucket.

And Howard's illustrations of Tabby are so expressive, so amusing! I would definitely recommend this series!
 

© 2018 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Mr. Putter and Tabby Paint the Porch

Mr. Putter and Tabby Paint the Porch. (Mr. Putter and Tabby #9) Cynthia Rylant. 2000. 44 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: It was springtime and Mr. Putter and his fine cat, Tabby, were feeling very chipper. The birds sang, the sun shone, the flowers bloomed.

Premise/plot: The book begins with Mr. Putter promising to read his cat, Tabby, a funny story. But he gets distracted when he notices the front porch needs painting. He decides to paint the porch and then read a funny story to Tabby. But does all go according to his plan? Not with Tabby and Zeke around! Or should I make that squirrels and chipmunks!

My thoughts: This is a funny early chapter book. I love, love, love Mr. Putter AND Tabby. This pair is well-suited--for each other and for me as a reader. This one is ACTION packed.


© 2018 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Portly Pig

Board book: Portly Pig. Axel Scheffler. 2018. Candlewick. 12 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Portly Pig was feeling sad because he was so clean. He looked around and squealed aloud, "This grass is just too green." "I don't think I like it here. It's all so nice--it's yucky." So off he went along the path to look for somewhere mucky!

Premise/plot: This pig won't be satisfied until he's dirty!

My thoughts: Portly Pig is a rhyming board book to share with little ones. It is a sound book as well. Little ones can press the blue button to hear him oink and grunt. The pages are super-thick and sturdy. It does have a story, though a simple story to be sure. I enjoyed the illustrations by Axel Scheffler.  

© 2018 Becky Laney of Young Readers

The Diary of a Killer Cat

The Diary of a Killer Cat. Anne Fine. Illustrated by Steve Cox. 1994. FSG. 64 pages.

First sentence: Monday. Okay, okay. So hang me. I killed the bird. For pity's sake, I'm a cat. It's practically my job to go creeping around the garden after sweet little eensy-weensy birdy-pies that can hardly fly from one hedge to another.

Premise/plot: What you see is what you get. This early chapter book is a diary of a killer cat. Tuffy's human is Ellie; Ellie and her family are horrified by the things their cat kills and brings back home. We get it all from Tuffy's perspective.

My thoughts: I liked this one. I didn't love, love, love it. But I enjoyed it. It was a quick, easy read. The narrative was quite funny, for the most part. It was probably for the best that there's a twist with one of his 'killings,' but it did make me have reservations about Tuffy until matters were clarified.

© 2018 Becky Laney of Young Readers

McBroom's Ghost

McBroom's Ghost Sid Fleischman. Illustrated by Robert Frankenberg. 1971. 48 pages. [Source: Bought]

First sentence:  Ghosts? Mercy, yes--I can tell you a thing or three about ghosts. As sure as my name's Josh McBroom a haunt came lurking about or wonderful one-acre farm. I don't know when that confounded dry-bones first moved in with us, but I suspicion it was last winter. An uncommon cold winter it was, too, though not so cold that an honest man would tell fibs about it. Still, you had to be careful when you lit a match. The flame would freeze and you had to wait for a thaw to blow it out.

Premise/plot: Does McBroom's one-acre farm have a ghost? Perhaps. This read-aloud gem takes place over two winters, I believe. In this one, McBroom has to solve the mystery of is-there-a-ghost-haunting-the-farm? AND solve a problem he is having with his neighbor and his hogs.

My thoughts: I would recommend this one to anyone who has read and loved McBroom's Wonderful One-Acre Farm, Three Tall Tales (1966). I love, love, love McBroom as a narrator. And the adventures he has with his family on the farm are quite unbelievable.

Quotes:

I don't intend to stray from the facts, but I distinctly remember one day Polly dropped her comb on the floor and when she picked it up the teeth were chattering. 

The temperature kept dropping and I must admit some downright unusual things began to happen. For one thing smoke took to freezing in the chimney. I had to blast it out with a shotgun three times a day. And we couldn't sit down to a bowl of Mama's hot soup before a crust of ice formed on top. The girls used to set the table with a knife, a fork, a spoon--and an ice pick. 

Then the big freeze set in. Red barns for miles around turned blue with the cold. 

© 2018 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Gobbly Goat

Board book: Gobbly Goat. Axel Scheffler. 2018. Candlewick. 12 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Gobbly Goat felt hungry and was ready for his lunch. "I think it's time for me to eat. What can I find to munch?" He walked around the farm until he found an old straw hat. He took a bite, but spat it out and said, "I don't like that!"

Premise/plot: Is Gobbly Goat a picky eater?!

My thoughts: Gobbly Goat is a rhyming board book to share with little ones. It is a sound book as well. So little ones can press the red button and hear Gobbly Goat do a lot of bleating. The pages are super-thick and sturdy. It does have a story, though a simple story to be sure. I enjoyed the illustrations by Axel Scheffler.

© 2018 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Mr. Putter and Tabby Take The Train

Mr. Putter and Tabby Take the Train. (Mr. Putter & Tabby #8) Cynthia Rylant. Illustrated by Arthur Howard. 1998. HMH. 44 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: One day Mr. Putter and his fine cat, Tabby, were cooking oatmeal when Mrs. Teaberry called. Mrs. Teaberry was Mr. Putter's friend and neighbor. "I have an idea!" she told Mr. Putter.

Premise/plot: At first Mr. Putter is nervous to hear Mrs. Teaberry's latest idea, after all, not all her ideas are good ones--in his opinion. But her newest idea is a good idea, she wants them all to take a train ride. Will Mr. Putter, Mrs. Teaberry, Zeke and Tabby enjoy a train ride together? Or will a no pets allowed rule spoil their plans?

My thoughts: There were elements in this one I just loved. For example, I loved, loved, LOVED the flashback to when Mr. Putter was a little boy. He was CUTE. And I loved Mr. Putter's honesty. "Mr. Putter was not sure he wanted to hear Mrs. Teaberry's idea. Sometimes her ideas were odd and involved running fast, or wearing feathers, or having purple toes." But I didn't quite love this one as much as previous titles in the series.

© 2018 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Mr. Putter and Tabby Toot the Horn

Mr. Putter and Tabby Toot The Horn. (Mr. Putter & Tabby #7) Cynthia Rylant. Illustrated by Arthur Howard. 1998. 44 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Mr. Putter and his fine cat, Tabby, were neighbors to Mrs. Teaberry and her good dog, Zeke. Mrs. Teaberry and Mr. Putter had a lot in common. They both liked bingo. They both liked free samples. They both liked rain. And they both liked music.

Premise/plot: One day Mrs. Teaberry decides that they both need to join a band. Her reasoning is simple: "Old people can do anything they want." He tries to get out of it by countering with this argument: "Can they say they can't play an instrument?!" She shuts him down--fast. Try, he must. This chapter book is about them both trying something new.

My thoughts: I loved this one. It was a super-fun addition to the series. Mr. Putter is NOT a good tooter. And that is okay. He tried--and that is something worth celebrating with a treat. The writing continues to delight me. Here is one of my favorite paragraphs:

Mrs. Teaberry liked country music the best. She liked the broken hearts. She liked the big silver boots and the tall hair. Mr. Putter liked opera. He also liked broken hearts. And he liked the big round heroes and the violins. Some days Mrs. Teaberry would play her country music very loud for Mr. Putter to hear. Some days Mr. Putter would play his opera very loud for Mrs. Teaberry to hear. They liked sharing. 

© 2018 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Inspector Brunswick: The Case of the Missing Eyebrow

Inspector Brunswick: Case of the Missing Eyebrow. Angela Keoghan. Illustrated by Chris Sam Lam. 2017. 32 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: After a long week of solving cases, Inspector Brunswick, the world's greatest cat detective, and his loyal assistant Nelson were taking a well-deserved break at the art museum.

Premise/plot: Inspector Brunswick is a cat detective; Nelson is the dog assistant or sidekick. These two find a mystery at the art museum. An eyebrow from one of the paintings is missing. Who could have taken it? And why?

My thoughts: I wanted to love this one because it stars a cat AND it is a mystery as well. Unfortunately, I didn't find myself loving it. Not every book has to be a love, of course. One fun thing I did enjoy about this one is that the works of art interact with the story. When the eyebrow goes missing, ALL the paintings react. One painting is of a mother and child: she's covering his eyes from the horror of it all.

Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 6 out of 10

© 2018 Becky Laney of Young Readers

That Is My Dream!

That Is My Dream! Langston Hughes. Illustrated by Daniel Miyares. 2017. Random House. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: To fling my arms wide/ In some place of the sun,/ To whirl and to dance/ Till the white day is done./ Then rest at cool evening/ Beneath a tall tree/ While night comes on gently,/ Dark like me--That is my dream!

Premise/plot: That is My Dream is a picture book poem. The poem is Langston Hughes' Dream Variation which was originally published in 1926 in his first poetry collection. The illustrator has placed the poem within the context of the segregated south in the 1950s. The first half reflects the way things are/were--as seen from a young boy's perspective--and the second half reflects his dream: how he wants things to be.

My thoughts: That Is My Dream is a lovely picture book. (Last year I reviewed Langston Hughes' The Dream Keeper and Other Poems.) Hughes' poem is beautiful. The illustrations are absolutely stunning. I loved, loved, loved, LOVED the illustrations. Yes, the text is wonderful. But the illustrations convey just as much--if not a tiny bit more--than the text. Together they make for a compelling, thought-provoking read. I think it would pair well with Patricia McKissack's Goin' Someplace Special. 

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 5 out of 5
Total: 9 out of 10


© 2018 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Mr. Putter & Tabby Row the Boat

Mr. Putter and the Tabby Row the Boat. (Mr. Putter and Tabby #6) Cynthia Rylant. Illustrated by Arthur Howard. 1997. HMH. 48 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: It was summer and the weather was very hot. Mr. Putter and his fine cat, Tabby, lay around all day and sweated. They sweated on the front porch. They sweated in the kitchen. They sweated under the oak tree. They even tried the basement, but they sweated there, too.

Premise/plot: How can Mr. Putter and Tabby cool off on this hot summer day? The title reveals it all, doesn't it?! Mr. Putter decides to ask Mrs. Teaberry and Zeke (her dog) to go with him and Tabby to the big pond. Once there, they rent a row boat and their adventure begins. But will it work?

My thoughts: I am just loving this series. The narrative is great. Rylant does a great job--in terms of both characterization AND storytelling. There is nothing dull about this chapter book series. The illustrations by Howard are equally expressive. I love seeing Tabby's various expressions throughout the book!

© 2018 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Mr. Putter and Tabby Fly the Plane

Mr. Putter and Tabby Fly the Plane. (Mr. Putter and Tabby #5) Cynthia Rylant. Illustrated by Arthur Howard. 1997. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 44 pages. [Source: Library]

 First sentence: Mr. Putter loved toys. He was old, and he knew that he wasn't supposed to love toys anymore. But he did. When Mr. Putter and his fine cat, Tabby, drove into town, they always stopped at the toy store.

Premise/plot: Mr. Putter LOVES toys. Tabby doesn't love toys--especially toys that do something. But she loves Mr. Putter. This chapter book is about when Mr. Putter buys a radio control airplane.

My thoughts: I enjoyed this one. I love Mr. Putter. I really love Tabby. My favorite part was when Mr. Putter decided to give away his new plane to a little boy--a shy boy, a clumsy boy--who reminded him of himself. The writing continues to impress.

© 2018 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Papillon Goes To The Vet

Papillon Goes to the Vet. A.N. Kang. 2017. Disney-Hyperion. 40 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Papillon is a very fluffy cat. He can float like a cloud in the sky. He loves to play with his friend. They never tire of playing kung fu air kicks and yarn softball. But catch is their favorite game.

Premise/plot: One day--when Papillon and his bird friend are playing catch with a catnip mousie--something goes wrong. He swallows the mouse and gets a horrid case of hiccups. His owner, Miss Tilly, takes him to the vet where he has to stay overnight. Will Papillon ever feel like himself again?

My thoughts: I definitely enjoyed this one!!! Papillon is adorable as always. The illustrations are fantastic. And the story is both whimsical and realistic. Not every cat floats and plays catch in the air, but all cats can cough up something when they're feeling sick. In the hands of the right reader, the sound effects would be super-fun.

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 5 out of 5
Total: 9 out of 10 

© 2018 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Papillon: The Very Fluffy Kitty

The Very Fluffy Kitty, Papillon. A.N. Kang. 2016. Disney-Hyperion. 40 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Papillon is a big kitty. He is not fat. Just very fluffy. I mean FLUFFY! He is lighter than air, which can get him into trouble.

Premise/plot: Papillon is one FLUFFY cat. Miss Tilly, his owner, worries that he might FLOAT away. She is always coming up with a new way to weigh this kitten down and keep him grounded. But. Papillon isn't always receptive to her ideas. Can Miss Tilly and Papillon come to agreement on the situation? Papillon may change his mind once he gets lost....

My thoughts: This book is ADORABLE. I love, love, love the illustrations. The concept of the story is whimsical and delightful. This fluffy cat has a bigger adventure than he bargained for. Luckily, a new friend saves the day. I would recommend this one to cat lovers of all ages.

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 5 out of 5
Total: 9 out of 10

© 2018 Becky Laney of Young Readers

The New LiBEARian

The New LiBEARian. Alison Donald. Illustrated by Alex Willmore. 2018. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: It was almost story time. The children were ready. Dee couldn't wait. "Isn't it time?" she asked. But no one answered.

Premise/plot: Ms. Merryweather, the children's librarian, is missing. Can the children follow the clues and solve the mystery? They may not discover Ms. Merryweather right away. But they do discover a NEW librarian. One who is willing to read them stories, but not just any stories--stories they're not allowed to read, SCARY stories. Will Ms. Merryweather return? Who is this new librarian?

My thoughts: I really enjoyed this one. The new librarian LOVES to read BEAR stories. Could their new librarian have escaped from a storybook?

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10

© 2018 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Make It Now: Princesses

Make It Now: Princesses. Stephanie Rousseau. 2018. HMH. 12 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Choose a princess page to decorate and then pull out that page of the book. Press out the princess, the little animal pal, and each of their stands. Color the princess's dress however you'd like.

Premise/plot: Make It Now: Princesses is a novelty book. If your little one loves playing paper dolls, loves coloring, loves sticking stickers, this one may be for you. There are five princesses to play with.

My thoughts: I like the idea of liking this one. I certainly loved playing paper dolls as a child. One strength I see is that the dolls (and animals) are printed on very sturdy material. One weakness may be that you can't change their outfits.

One thing that bothers me as an adult is that it is only the front of each outfit that needs coloring. The back of each outfit is already colored in. So your options are to try to match the colors of the front and back to the best of your ability, OR, to not care and embrace the chaos of a clashing outfit.

© 2018 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Mr. Pusskins and Little Whiskers

Mr. Pusskins and Little Whiskers: Another Love Story. Sam Lloyd. 2008. 32 pages. [Source: Library] (2007, UK)

First sentence: This is the story of a little girl called Emily and her dear cat, Mr. Pusskins. They thought life couldn't get any better. Then, one day, Emily announced that she had a fabulous surprise for Mr. Pusskins. He was very excited.

Premise/plot: Mr. Pusskins is home again. But does he stay happy and content? Or does he become an ungrateful grump when Emily introduces a new kitten into the house? Will Little Whiskers and Mr. Pusskins make friends? Or will Mr. Pusskins run away again?

My thoughts: I liked this one. I did. I didn't love, love, love it as I did the first book. But I was very happy to see Mr. Pusskins star in another book. What I loved most about this one--and the other one, if I'm honest--was how expressive the illustrations are. The faces Mr. Pusskins makes are priceless. Forgiveness is also part of this second story.

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 5 out of 5
Total: 9 out of 10

© 2018 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Mr. Pusskins

Mr. Pusskins: A Love Story. Sam Lloyd. 2006. 32 pages. [Source: Library] (2006, UK)

First sentence: This is the story of a little girl called Emily and her dear cat, Mr. Pusskins. Emily adored Mr. Pusskins.

Premise/plot: Mr. Pusskins does not appreciate Emily. At least not when our story opens. What we have here is a story of a prodigal cat: "He went places he wasn't meant to go and did things he wasn't meant to do, and made friends with the Pesky Cat Gang." But after some adventures and misadventures, Mr. Pusskins may be ready to come home again. Will Emily be waiting for him?

My thoughts: I loved, loved, LOVED Mr. Pusskins. Whether or not it's intentional or not on the part of the author, Mr. Pusskins is a near-perfect adaptation of the Prodigal Son. I loved Emily start to finish. Mr. Pusskins is quite the character, quite the transforming character. "The things Mr. Pusskins wasn't supposed to do weren't fun anymore. And his new friends weren't really very nice. How lovely it would be to have someone brush his fur and tell him how much they loved him. He felt all alone." I thought the text was lovely and heartwarming.

Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 5 out of 5
Total: 10 out of 10

© 2018 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Lola Gets A Cat

Lola Gets a Cat. Anna McQuinn. Illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw. 2017. Charlesbridge. 28 pages. [Source: Library] (2016 in UK)

First sentence:  Lola loves cats. She wants a real one. Mommy says looking after a cat is a lot of work.

Premise/plot: Lola is a little girl who LOVES cats. Is she ready to get a real cat for a pet?

My thoughts: Lola Gets A Cat is a cute, sweet story about a little girl getting a cat as a pet. It isn't enough to want a pet, you have to be ready to take care of a pet. This involves the whole family getting prepared. It also involves patience. Lola's cat, Makeda, has to get used to her new home.

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10


© 2018 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Make It Now: Animals

Make It Now: Animals. Geraldine Cosneau. 2018. HMH. 12 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Choose an animal page to decorate, and then pull that page out of the book. Press out the animal, the little plant, and each of their stands. Color the animal's outfit however you'd like.

Premise/plot: Make It Now: Animals is a novelty book for little ones. It comes with five animal paper dolls. Each animal needs the FRONT of their outfit colored. There are stickers to decorate the paper dolls with as well.

My thoughts: I like the idea of this one. As an adult, it bothers me that only half of each outfit needs coloring. The back of of the paper doll is already colored in. Children may or may not care about the front and back matching. But it would bother me now. I would be anxious about trying to match the colors as closely as possible. But if your little one likes paper dolls, coloring books, or sticker books this one may be a good fit for you.

© 2018 Becky Laney of Young Readers