Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews

Mr. Putter and Tabby Paint the Porch

Mr. Putter and Tabby Paint the Porch

Cynthia Rylant
Illustrator:  Arthur Howard 
Fiction  Series
For ages 6 to 9
Harcourt, 2000   ISBN: 978-0152024741

It is a lovely spring day and Mr. Putter and his cat Tabby are sitting out on the porch. Mr. Putter is just about to begin reading a funny story when he notices that the porch is looking very shabby. Indeed it is looking so shabby that he decides there and then that he is going to paint it. So he goes into the basement and gets a can of pink paint and he gets to work. Unfortunately while he is working Tabby remembers what a good squirrel chaser she is and by the next morning there is pink paint everywhere, including all over Tabby. What a mess!

Luckily Mrs. Teaberry, Mr. Putter's neighbor, comes to the rescue. She offers to help Mr. Putter repaint the porch - and everything else that is pink - a nice blue color. The two friends get to work and all is going very well until Mrs. Teaberry's dog Zeke sees a chipmunk. Dear me! A pink and blue porch! Now what is to be done?

In this sweetly funny early readers chapter book an every day event is turned into an adventure which children can laugh over and enjoy. Cats and dogs will chase squirrels and chipmunks and if there is paint around who knows what might happen. With its delightfully expressive illustrations and its engaging story, this Mr. Putter and Tabby tale is sure to be a winner with young readers.