Mr. Putter & Tabby Drop the Ball

K-Gr 3—Another winner from this creative team. Taking a nap is always a top priority for Mr. Putter and his cat. It occurs to him that maybe they should be a bit more active, so he goes to the basement, gets his baseball mitt, and decides to get more exercise. His friend Mrs. Teaberry and her dog, Zeke, have just the team for them to join. As the game progresses, Mr. Putter begins to question whether he has made the right decision. After all, he has problems with his knees and running is out of the question. Mrs. Teaberry is just the opposite; she's full of life and living it to the fullest. Their animals come along and are, of course, part of the high jinks that ensue. The artwork, done in pencil, watercolor, and gouache, is expressive and quite hilarious as Zeke wreaks havoc in the infield and makes an assist in the outfield. The five short chapters have a well-designed ratio of pictures to words. The text font is clean and clear, making this a good choice for advancing readers.—Janene Corbin, Rosebank Elementary School, Nashville, TN