Review by Booklist Review
Gr. 1-3. His "cranky legs, cranky knees, cranky feet" prevent Mr. Putter from picking the pears from his tree. Improvising a slingshot from the elastic of underwear, he sets out to knock the pears off his tree by shooting fallen apples at them. His aim is way off, but all ends happily as a neighbor discovers the apples in her yard and brings cider, pies, and jellies to Mr. Putter. The autumnal theme, a deft mix of slapstick and understatement, and a taut but colorful story will attract and satisfy beginning readers. Howard's ink-and-watercolor illustrations, reminiscent of James Stevenson's work, add character and sly humor to this latest Mr. Putter and Tabby adventure. (Reviewed January 1 & 15, 1996)0152002456Linda Perkins
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 1-3-In this fourth book about the two seniors who are special friends, Mr. Putter dreams about the many ways he will use his ripe tomatoes, apples-and especially pears. But when he tries to climb the ladder to pick the green edibles, his cranky legs force him to stay on the ground. Remembering his younger days, he makes himself a slingshot and uses fallen apples as ammunition. Unfortunately, he is unable to hit his targets. But what fun to sling those apples and watch them go ``...over the tree, over the chimney, over the house.'' The next day, he and his old cat Tabby feel sorry for themselves until their neighbor, Mrs. Teaberry, arrives with her dog and a feast of apple turnovers, pies, jelly, and cider. Mr. Putter then decides what to do about the pears-just wait for them to fall. Rylant's originality continues in this autumnal adventure. She uses repetition to reinforce vocabulary development and word recognition; however, she also uses both simple and compound sentences, dialogue, and expressive language so that the story is neither stilted nor boring. Howard's watercolor illustrations fit the text perfectly, providing humor and warmth.-Mary Ann Bursk, Bucks County Free Library, Levittown, PA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
(Younger) Illustrated by Roberta Smith. Huey, Julian's younger brother from The Stories Julian Tells (Knopf) and its sequels, is the central character in Cameron's newest book. With her usual rich language, strong sense of childhood angst, and gentle humor, Cameron tells of Huey's growing independence and confidence. In one chapter he invents banana pancakes; in another, he fools his brother into thinking that a zebra has been in their yard. Smith's black-and-white pencil illustrations are less successful than Ann Strugnell's drawings in the earlier books. m.v.k. Max Grover, Author-Illustrator Amazing and Incredible Counting Stories!: A Number of Tall Tales In a book that is impossible to categorize, Max Grover has combined elements of counting books, fantasy, tall tales, and tabloid journalism. At the top of each page, an often intriguing headline uses a number, while the text below the picture reads like an enticing caption. For the number four, the headline reads, "4 Jelly Faucets Prove Big Time-Saver for Kids," while the caption reads, "A girl shows how quickly she can make sandwiches using this new device. Now she has more time to spend with her pet alligator." The fanciful scenes are depicted with spirited, nearly childlike acrylic paintings, flat, highly-saturated colors, and a rhythmic sense of design, particularly in the pages showing higher numbers. lolly robinson MaryÿAnn Hoberman The Cozy Book (Picture Book) Illustrated by Betty Fraser. A child details all the things that are cozy: foods, games, smells, people, and sounds like "Traffic rumble / Airplane roar / Freight train toot / Grandpa snore." In this reissue of the 1982 edition, the new, bright, color-drenched illustrations give the book a more contemporary look. Every page is filled with myriad details and dozens of children and ends with the child who began the poem, tucked into bed for a cozy night. Sure to be a favorite. h.b.z. Rachel Isadora, Author-Illustrator Lili on Stage (Picture Book) Lili has a small part in the Nutcracker ballet, and we share with her the behind-the-scenes preparations, the anxious wait, the thrill of performance and applause, and her dreams for the future. The watercolor illustrations are like confections and will be a delightful reminder for children who have seen the ballet performed. h.b.z. Rudyard Kipling The Jungle Book (Intermediate) Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. All of Kipling's celebrated Mowgli stories, as well as the story of Rikki-tikki-tavi, are gathered together in one volume. Mowgli, the feral child who lives in India with the jungle animals as infant, equal, and finally leader, is one of the great heroes of children's fiction. The handsome illustrations in dappled watercolors show to admiration the lush jungle growth, the watchful animals, and Mowgli himself. A glorious pairing of text and illustration. a.a.f. Ted Lewin, Author-Illustrator Sacred River (Picture Book) A descriptive, fluid, and straightforward text combines with richly detailed full-color illustrations to describe a pilgrimage to the Ganges River in the Indian city of Benares. Architecture and people are equally well portrayed to create a memorable setting. "For Hindus, all rivers are places of worship and are sacred. The Ganges is the most sacred of all. . . . Its waters are said to have the power of salvation." Though brief, this highly visual glimpse of one aspect of life in India, drawn from Lewin's own travels, will likely lead readers to a more thorough exploration of the country and its culture. m.b.s. Cynthia Rylant Mr. Putter and Tabby Pick the Pears (Younger) Illustrated by Arthur Howard. In his fourth easy reader, the childlike Mr. Putter and his elderly cat Tabby cannot make it up the ladder to pick this year's pears because Mr. Putter has "cranky knees." So he fashions a slingshot from a stick, an old glove, and a pair of poodleprint underpants. His attempts to knock down the pears using fallen apples fail but result in a wealth of apple turnovers, cider, and apple jelly. m.v.k. James Stevenson, Author-Illustrator I Had a Lot of Wishes (Picture Book) Stevenson's wistful yet philosophical glance backward at his childhood brings a flood of memories of wishes granted and not granted, practical and unreasonable. He wishes his brother would stop trying to scare him, and he wishes he were a famous boy detective. He wishes he could go to camp, but when he arrives, he finds he doesn't like it. But he has a good time, after all. A perceptive look at a common childhood occupation, graced with Stevenson's gentle, evocative watercolors. a.a.f. From HORN BOOK, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
From Rylant (Dog Heaven, p. 951, etc.), a fourth pairing of good-natured Mr. Putter and sidekick Tabby. The old cat has a cranky tail that's too stiff to swish and the old man has cranky legs that can't get up a ladder. Unable to get to his juicy pears for some yearned-for pear jelly, Mr. Putter rigs a slingshot out of underwear elastic and``ZING!!!!!''fires off a fallen apple. Instead of knocking a pear off the tree, it whizzes over his rooftop and out of sight. Delighted with his ``jiffy arms,'' Mr. Putter forgets all about the pears, and zings into the night. The next day, neighborly Mrs. Teaberry reaps an unexpected bounty (``I don't even have an apple tree!'') and surprises Mr. Putter with feast of apple preparations. A funny, easy-going beginning reader, with quirky, always affectionate, cartoons. (Picture book. 4-7)
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
