Review by Booklist Review
Gr. 1-3. Mr. Putter and Tabby continue to enjoy their twilight years together in a read-alone that combines simple, lyrical writing and gentle humor. This time out, it's the holiday season. Concerned that his neighbor, Mrs. Teaberry, devours so much heavy fruitcake, Mr. Putter decides to bake her "a light and airy" cake. After several mishaps, with Tabby at his side he finally delivers a beautiful cake on Christmas morning--then promptly falls asleep in Mrs. Teaberry's chair. Howard's relaxed, mixed-media pictures catch the nuances of the cozy, affectionate relationship between an old man and a cat with all the right moves. (Reviewed October 15, 1994)0152002057Julie Corsaro
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3-Mr. Putter is determined to bake a cake for his neighbor, Mrs. Teaberry, for Christmas. He wants it to be completely unlike the fruitcakes she usually eats during the holidays-``Something light. Something airy. Something that would not break a person's toe.'' Readers will discover that this is no easy undertaking since he has no pans, has never baked from scratch, and has no cookbook. This low-key holiday story focuses on the loving care that many gifts lack. Young cooks will empathize with Mr. Putter's failures and be encouraged by his persistence and eventual success. The tale's combination of concern and humor is further enhanced by the appealing pencil, watercolor, and gouache cartoons. Though this title is not as enchanting as the first two ``Mr. Putter and Tabby'' adventures (both Harcourt, 1994), it belongs in most beginning-to-read collections.-Gale W. Sherman, Pocatello Public Library, ID (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
Mr. Putter and his cat Tabby are back, this time faced with the problem of what to give their neighbor Mrs. Teaberry for Christmas. Mr. Putter decides to make her a cake, but first he must learn how to bake. After many funny efforts, he is successful, and the three neighbors share a delicious cake for Christmas. Illustrated with cartoon-style illustrations, the book is filled with humanity and tempered with humor. From HORN BOOK 1994, (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
Mr. Putter is a conscientious gift-giver, and for Christmas this year he wants to give his good friend and neighbor, Mrs. Teaberry, something very special. He knows that Mrs. Teaberry adores weird gifts, like coconuts made to look like the heads of monkeys and walking, wind-up salt shakers. She also loves fruitcake, which worries Mr. Putter. So he decides to make her a light and airy Christmas cake, one that won't break her toe if it drops on it. Trouble is, Mr. Putter doesn't know the first thing about baking cakes. Determined Mr. Putter gets the advice of an expert, buys $100 worth of equipment, and stays up all Christmas Eve baking under the watchful eye of his cat companion, Tabby. After three failed attempts, Mr. Putter finally creates the most marvelous cake. He wraps it up and brings it over to Mrs. Teaberry and then promptly falls asleep. The friends share the cake 12 hours later when Mr. Putter wakes up. Rylant (Something Permanent, p. 706, etc.) doesn't need many words to pack a whole lot of personality into this fun early chapter book. (Fiction. 6-10)
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