Mr. Putter & Tabby Catch the Cold

Mr. Putter & Tabby #11

by Cynthia Rylant, Arthur Howard (Illustrator)

Even though Tabby tries to keep him warm, Mr. Putter catches a cold in this cozy addition to the series.

Genres: Childrens, Picture Books, Animals, Cats, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Chapter Books

44 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2002

About the author

An author of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry for children and young adults as well as an author and author/illustrator of picture books for children, Cynthia Rylant is recognized as a gifted writer who has contributed memorably to several genres of juvenile literature. A prolific author who often bases her works on her own background, especially on her childhood in the West Virginia mountains, she is the creator of contemporary novels and historical fiction for young adults, middle-grade fiction and fantasy, lyrical prose poems, beginning readers, collections of short stories, volumes of poetry and verse, books of prayers and blessings, two autobiographies, and a biography of three well-known children's writers; several volumes of the author's fiction and picture books are published in series, including the popular "Henry and Mudge" easy readers about a small boy and his very large dog.

Rylant is perhaps most well known as a novelist. Characteristically, she portrays introspective, compassionate young people who live in rural settings or in small towns and who tend to be set apart from their peers.

from bookrags.com

Reviews

[Susan Katz · Rating 5 out of 5]

The perfect Mr. Putter for a cold January day. In this particular episode in the wonderful Mr. Putter and Tabby series, Mr. Putter gets a cold and Mrs. Teaberry's good dog Zeke woofs to the rescue as the errand-dog who brings the patient soup, tea, and adventure. In the end, Mr. Putter enjoys the best cold he's ever caught - and so does the reader! This book should be sold at the drugstore right next to the other cold remedies.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like the Mr. Putter books. They are fun to read to children, as well as being a great beginner reader. This book follows the pattern of all the Mr. Putters and would be a great book to read to a child who has a cold or is home sick.

[Maki]

This is a cute series for kids who are struggling with reading. They are entertaining and have great illustrations with cute little stories about friendships and the importance of pets in our lives.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I too have caught the cold, and while I can make myself tea, I am, sadly, stuck at work and do not get to cuddle any cats or dogs.
At least I get to read some Mr. Putter and Tabby during my lunch break.
(I love these, but they always fill me with feelings of "oh god, don't let your cat eat that")

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Mr. Putter & Tabby book elicited several "awwws" from my niece. Really a sweet book, and Mrs. Teaberry's good dog Zeke is just unbearably cute in this one! Wonderful heartwarming story!

[Christine Kallner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first Mr Putter book I found at a local used book nook and my son & I fell in love with these characters. Such a good series! It’s not easy to write excellent stories in the simpler language of early chapter books, but Rylant is a master of this! I would put this series up there with the likes of Frog & Toad — cozy, endearing, and lovely to read aloud (a rarity for this type/level of book!)

[Friend of Pixie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Logan (age 6.5) loves cats and we've read the Mr. Putter series for a couple of years now. This is one of our favorites. Mr. Putter is sick and longs for the days when his mother "spoiled" (I hate that word, but that's what's in the book) him by fixing him soup and tea and bringing him adventure books. Enter his lovely neighbor Mrs. Teaberry and her good dog Zeke. These tender and funny stories celebrate friendship and kindness, and are some of the few books that portray aging as a part of life rather than using the elderly as an object lesson (how to cope with the loss of grandpa) or as a prop (the mean old man who yells at the neighbor kids or the apple-cheeked old lady who bakes for everybody). And I must point out, as I probably have in other reviews of cat-related books, it's always exciting to find a book where it's a man or boy who likes cats. So often, pets are gender-specific: cats for girls, dogs for boys. Just try finding a cat t-shirt or cat PJs for a boy and you'll see what I mean! Rylant is a prolific treasure for this generation.

[Jenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poor Mr. Putter catches a cold. When his neighbor offers to bring him some soup he tells her he doesn't want her to catch his cold. So he and his cat, Tabby, snuggle in together. Surprisingly, Zeke, the neighbor's dog shows up with soup and a good book. Mr. Putter, Tabby, and Zeke all settle in to read and wait for the soup to work its magic.

I had never read any of the Mr. Putter books, so this was a new experience for me. It was a short, easy read, but also enjoyable. I caught myself laughing outloud on a couple of occasions. I highly recommend this book for kids who are able to read transitional-chapter books.

[Rosa Cline · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an easier to read chapter book. Mr Putter is an elderly man with his beloved cat. He starts not feeling well and remembers what his mother used to do when he didn't feel good. His neighbor calls and hears in his voice he doesn't feel well. But he doesn't want her to come and catch the same cold. But she sends her dog over with soup, then tea and then he asks about a book and it's the dogs favorite book. so the Dog comes too. Between the friendships he has he starts feeling better. Cute book my almost 3 year old granddaughter loved to watch the illustrations as I read to her.

[Chantelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

My son and I both thoroughly enjoyed every book in this series (through #18; the rest weren't published / available at our library yet). Mrs. Rylant's sentence structure is simple enough for beginning readers to enjoy but don't let that fool you! Each book contains an engaging plot, clever & silly humor, and underlying themes of friendship, thoughtfulness, and responsibility. We spent many hours laughing together at the (mis)adventures of Mr. Putter, Tabby, and their friends. We were excited to find out what would happen as we started each book. HIGHLY recommend!!!

[Melissa Trumbo]

What a charming book to read. It's cold out and Mr. Putter catches a cold. His cat is part of the story and helps try to make him feel better. His neighbor calls and offers assistance to help him. I love that she sent soup and tea over in thermoses on her dog. The animals are just as much part of the story. Mr. Putter wants to read a book, so his neighbor says she has on but it's her dog's favorite, so he'll have to come over and read it with him. Mr. Putter, his cat and the dog are all in bed together reading the book. Such a cute book for beginner readers.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Review: I have really come to love Mr. Putter & Tabby and this book was no different. I picked it up since we are heading into cold and flu season (Munchkin has already been down with Strep this school year). I like how even at Mr. Putter's age, he is still looking for those comforts from when he was sick as a kid. I guess we never outgrow wanting someone to take care of us with a cozy spot, hot soup and tea to soothe us. Good thing he has such good friends in Mrs. Teaberry & Zeke!

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

We love Cynthia Rylant's stories and the Mr. Putter and Tabby series is a fun one. We enjoyed this tale and thought it was hilarious that Zeke was the messenger, bringing soup and tea and comfort to Mr. Putter.

[Amber Pangburn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is about a man who got a cold and he didn't have any friends. His neighbor then helped by having the dog bring over soup and a comic book. I would use this in a classroom to help teach the students to help their neighbors.

[kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great series for 1st and 2nd grade readers. Great stories and illustrations. This one, in particular, is a standout to me because of Zeke the dog and Mr. Putter's fond memories including adventure books helping him feel better through a cold.

[Alex Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

These were the most fun books that i read when i came from Ukraine because they were fun and chalanging for me at that time. I remember reading 25 a week of these books. I probobly read at least a hundred or more.

[Katt Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poor Mr. Putter - he's sick. But has just the RIGHT kind of cold to really enjoy it. I recalled just being that sort of sick as a child and loving the time spent sick in bed. This recaptures all of that just perfectly. Loved it!

[Blake · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustrations in this series are fantastic! See my review of Mr. Putter & Tabby Write the Book for more about the series. This series should definitely be a staple in a lower elementary classroom for early readers that are excited and proud that they are beginning to read "chapter" books.

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want a neighbor like Mr. Putter has in Mrs. Teaberry.

[Schmobes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr. Putter and Tabby do not disappoint. Great level 3.

[Horace Mann Family Reading Challenge · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like reading all these books about Mr. Putter. J.C.

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

For use in schools and libraries only. When Mr. Putter catches a cold, his friend Mrs. Teaberry sends over some special treats to help him feel better.

[Renee' LaViness · Rating 5 out of 5]

The kids at our grandson's school just loved hearing this book, when I read it. They laughed and otherwise became involved in the story. It was a very enjoyable interactive book.

[Travis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cute!

[Alaina Sloo · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite early reader series. Sweet, gentle stories that many kids love, perfect for kindergarten through 2d grade.

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

good review by Logan...and good point about aging. I like Arthur Howards drawings.

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tabby, I forgot my hat. I hope I don't catch a cold.

[Sienna Lyon-Baldwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this series, Mr. Putter is an old man who finds comfort in his cat, Tabby. In this particular book by Rylant, the setting takes place at their home during the winter season; it is snowing outside, prime weather to catch a sickness. Mr. Putter ends up catching a cold when he goes to retrieve the mail without his hat on. His neighbor, Mrs. Teaberry takes care of him for the time being by sending her dog, Zeke, over to bring Mr. Putter supplies such as soup and a book to keep him entertained. Mr. Putter wanted an adventure book to make him feel better, so Zeke brought it over and stayed with Mr. Putter and Tabby. In the end, Mr. Putter doesn't feel so bad about his cold, because he has a good book to read and two obedient pets to keep him company.
This book is most likely aimed for second to third graders to read on their own. I would assume the lexile level is pretty low compared to real novels. Although this series may be considered "chapter books," I believe these would be a good transition from advanced picture books before diving into chapter books. There are still minimal words on the pages, and includes mainly illustrations, but begins to break down the plot into chapters which will help students in their transition.
Like I stated, this book is still illustration-heavy, but Howard, the illustrator, does well at keeping the drawings in line with the text. His style reminds me of that in the "Charlie Brown" movies I watched when I was younger. His watercolor art is detailed and colorful enough to identify each figure, but he does not create much of a background on most pages, but I feel that it is not needed in a type of book like this. Overall, between the collaboration of both Rylant and Howard, this series is suitable for younger elementary students who are learning to read on their own and is entertaining for that age range.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mr. Putter and Tabby Catch the Cold. (Mr. Putter and Tabby #11) Cynthia Rylant. Arthur Howard, illustrator. 2002. 44 pages. [Source: Library]



First sentence: Mr. Putter and his fine cat, Tabby, loved the snow.



Premise/plot: Mr. Putter catches a cold in this early chapter book. Who will take care of him? Perhaps Mrs. Teaberry?! But she surely doesn't want to get sick herself. Good thing she's clever.


My thoughts: I like this one okay. Mr. Putter catches a cold because he goes outside without his hat. It's implied that he gets sick because of the cold, damp weather. This irritated me. You get sick because of germs--not weather. If you have low to no immune system, you might catch cold more easily. But going out without a hat would never be the root cause of a cold. Putting that aside, it is cute that Zeke takes care of Mr. Putter!

[May Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another cute catto/ hooman duo

I found it appropriate to read this first in another series by the author since I recently recovered from a cold myself, and that uncomfortable feeling of always sneezing and whatnot is still fresh in my memory. Mr. Putter's experience may be the same, but the good thing for him is he found an activity that relaxed him and put him to a healing sleep. This is all thanks to a neighbor and friend.

This author will definitely be my go-to read when I want to catch up with my reading challenge.