Mr. Putter and Tabby Ring the Bell

K-Gr 2—Mr. Putter and Tabby are back for their 20th (Harcourt, 2011) adventure in Cynthia Rylant's beloved beginning chapter book series. The crisp fall air and sound of a distant bell make Mr. Putter wistful about school. He devises a plan to get back into school by bringing his lazy cat Tabby and his amenable neighbor Mrs. Teaberry along with her mischievous dog Zeke in for show-and-tell. There's one hitch: the first-grade teacher and students are expecting the decidedly talentless Tabby and Zeke to perform tricks. The pets perform a single trick for the class, with disastrous results, but it's nothing an apology note and a batch of cupcakes can't repair. Narrator John McDonough's deep, regal voice is the perfect embodiment of Mr. Putter. He deftly conveys the mild emotions and ups and downs in the story. An entertaining tale.—Jennifer Verbrugge, Dakota County Library, Eagan, MN