Putter & Tabby

Mr. Putter is tired of living all alone, with no one to share his morning English muffins or his afternoon tea. He has many wonderful stories to tell, but no one to tell them to. What Mr. Putter needs is some good company. But good company is hard to find. This first adventure in award-winning author Cynthia Rylant's popular series introduces readers to a pair of friends who are just perfect for each other.

Old Mr. Putter and old Mrs. Teaberry are neighbors. When Mrs. Teaberry hurts her foot, Mr. Putter and his cat, Tabby, offer to walk her little dream dog, Zeke, for a week. But Zeke is no dream dog. Zeke is a nightmare. On the first day, he drags Mr. Putter and Tabby through the neighborhood. On the second day, he wraps them around trees. On the third day, he chases big dogs until the big dogs turn around and chase them.

Christmas is Mr. Putter's favorite time of the year. He starts thinking about Christmas presents in July. It's easy to buy gifts for the postman, the grocer, and the librarian. But he has to think very hard about a gift for his neighbor, Mrs. Teaberry. Mrs. Teaberry likes strange things. She likes coconuts that look like monkey heads and tiny dresses that fit her teapots. She even likes fruitcake. That's it! He'll make her a good cake for Christmas, a light and airy one that won't break her toe if she drops it.

Fall is Mr. Putter and Tabby’s favorite time of year - a time to harvest juicy fruits and feast on baked goodies. But this year it’s not going to be so easy. Old age is making Mr. Putter’s legs, knees, and feet...cranky. Even his cat Tabby suffers from a cranky tail. But that won’t stop them! Mr. Putter comes up with a zingy way to pick the pears. And thanks to Mrs. Teaberry and her good dog Zeke, he and Tabby are showered with loads of yummy apple treats, but no pears - so no pear jelly.

Ever since he was a boy, Mr. Putter has always loved planes. And he still loves playing with toys - even though he is pretty old. While visiting the toy store with his fine cat, Tabby, he decides to buy a brand new, red and white, remote-controlled biplane! Remembering when he was young, how he stayed awake at night wishing for such a toy, Mr. Putter thinks about the boy he met earlier that day. The boy was a little shy, clumsy and forgetful - just like Mr. Putter was when he was that age!

It's summertime, and Mr. Putter and Tabby are tired of being hot. Their neighbor Mrs. Teaberry and her dog Zeke are sweaty, too. Maybe a trip to the pond will cool them off. Mrs. Teaberry packs a lunch of apple tea, tomato sandwiches, and kiwi salad. Mr. Putter likes her funny food. When they get to the pond, they rent a boat and find a shady spot for a picnic. They share tall tales while they eat. Mr. Putter tells about the time he won a worm race.

When Mrs. Teaberry telephones Mr. Putter to tell him about a brilliant idea, he gets a little nervous. Besides, sometimes her ideas involve "running fast or wearing feathers." Mrs. Teaberry wants to take an afternoon train ride with Mr. Putter and their pets, Tabby and Zeke. Mrs. Teaberry hasn't ridden the train since 1938, so when they get to the train station, she is surprised to find that pets aren't allowed to ride. Now it's Mr. Putter's turn to think of a good idea.

Mr. Putter and his neighbor Mrs. Teaberry both like music. He likes the broken hearts and big round heroes of opera. She likes the broken hearts and big-haired stars of country music. One day Mrs. Teaberry has one of her famous ideas. She and Mr. Putter will form their own band. Mr. Putter is a good sport. He buys a little horn and practices for hours. Finally, he decides that everyone will be happier if he uses the horn to hold up his tomato plant.

It's springtime, and Mr. Putter wants to paint his porch. He gets a bucket of pink paint and a big brush. Tabby keeps the paint rags from blowing away. All goes well until a squirrel jumps onto the porch railing. Creations of Newbery Medal-winning author Cynthia Rylant, Mr. Putter and Tabby are both funny and endearing. Young readers will want to listen to their adventures again and again.

One day at the fish store, Mr. Putter decides to buy some fish. Tabby is happy. Fish make his tail twitch. At home, Mr. Putter and Tabby watch the fish swim around in their glass bowl. Then Tabby starts to bat the bowl. Bat. Bat. Tabby can't stop batting the bowl, even when Mr. Putter covers it up. Soon, Tabby is so twitchy and batty, Mr. Putter calls Mrs. Teaberry. She has a solution to Tabby's problem - a very relaxing one!

Newbery medal-winner and recipient of the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award, Cynthia Rylant instills gentle humor into this cozy listen. When Mr. Putter goes outside without a hat on, he catches a cold. Tabby tries to make Mr. Putter feel better, but "colds aren't so much fun when you're old." Yet his neighbor Mrs. Teaberry and her dog Zeke know just the thing to help Mr. Putter recover.

While the snow swirls outdoors and the fire crackles in the hearth, Mr. Putter decides to write a mystery book. But he soon learns that writing isn't as easy as he thought it would be.

In their 14th adventure, Mr. Putter and Tabby spend a lovely morning eating apple jam and raisin crumpets when suddenly Mr. Putter remembers it's his birthday. He decides to celebrate by inviting Mrs. Teaberry over for tea, but Mrs. Teaberry keeps calling to delay her visit. Will she make it before it is tomorrow - and someone else's birthday?

Mr. Putter and his faithful cat Tabby love their neighbor Mrs. Teaberry and her dog Zeke. They are always bringing over yummy food - but all Mr. Putter and Tabby do in return is eat! Mrs. Teaberry's knitting party seems like the perfect time to return the favor. But when Mr. Putter goes to serve tea to the ladies at the party, things end up in quite a tangle!

In this delightful tale by Newbery Award winner Cynthia Rylant, Mr. Putter doesn't share Mrs. Teaberry's enthusiasm for a class on 100 ways to cook beans. And yet - finding it hard to say no to his kind friend - he attends the class with her anyhow, expecting to be bored.