Mr. Putter & Tabby Books In Order

Publication Order of Mr. Putter & Tabby Books

Mr. Putter & Tabby Series is a set of books for the children, written by Cynthia Rylant. Rylant is well known for the 100 and more children’s books she has written. Mr. Putter and Tabby series talks about an elderly man Mr. Putter and his pet orange cat Tabby who is arthritic. Each of the book talks about one of their little adventures. The chemistry between the duo, the bond they share and the whole way in which each book is presented is sure to keep a young reader entertained.

Who is Mr. Putter and who is Tabby?

Tabby comes into the life of a lonely old man Mr. Putter. Their lives, then change forever owing to each other’s company. The pair, along with their spirited neighbor Mrs. Teaberry and her companion Zeke, the rambunctious bulldog, have a lot of fun.

All the little incidents the four of them cross together makes their friendship stronger. Mr. Putter always seems to get caught in some trouble big or small. Mrs. Teaberry has a flair to try and resolve Mr. Putter’s troubles. The best part about the books in the series is the way even the simplest of daily incidents are presented beautifully as little adventures. The series follows Mr. Putter and Tabby baking a cake, flying a plane, painting a porch and a lot of other little sweet endeavors. All the little tasks explained from an old man’s perspective makes the reading all the more fun. Arthritis and old age don’t stop the duo from having their share of fun. Rylant’s words and Arthur Howard’s illustration do a great work in taking the readers; young or old, through a beautiful journey of an unlikely friendship.

The first books in the Mr. Putter Tabby series introduces the readers to the lively duo and their life.

Mr. Putter and Tabby Pour the Tea:

This is the very first book that was released in the series. It talks about who Mr. Putter was and how Tabby came into his life. The book begins by giving the reader about the melancholically lonely life Mr. Putter leads. He is an old man living all alone. He tends to his beautiful garden and lives all day with no one to talk to. He had so many nice stories to tell, but none to tell them to. One fine day, he went to a pet store looking for a cat. He wanted an older cat and not a normal cute kitten. He found his companion in a pet shelter. With fur that was already thinning and bones that creaked, she looked old and lonely. She was also partially deaf. Mr. Putter liked her instantly. She was so much like him!

He named her Tabby. That was how the strange and beautiful friendship began. He took her home and their lives changed forever. He shared his morning muffins with her. She too loved Mr. Putter’s favorite tulips. She followed him everywhere. They shared tea in the afternoons. Tabby attentively listened to all of Mr. Putter’s stories in the evening, sitting by the window, purring happily. Summers meant bathing in the warm sun which was relaxing for both with their old and brittle bones. Winters meant opera in loud volume as they had to stay indoors. Falls were beautiful due to their lovely long strolls. Their life had been entwined. The instant bond they shared grew stronger each day. This first book makes the reader instantly fall in love with the duo and their beautiful life. It is illustrated to introduce the reader about all the little things Mr. Putter and Tabby do together.

Mr. Putter and Tabby walk the dog:

This second book proceeds to talk about the neighbors of the happy pair. Mrs. Teaberry is a lively old woman living next door. She lives with her exuberant bulldog named Zeke. From afar, Zeke looks like a friendly and obedient little dog. Mr. Putter realizes that Zeke is just the opposite of that when he is in a situation to take him for a walk. Mrs. Teaberry is advised not to walk as she had hurt her foot. This means that she would not be able to take Zeke for his walks. Presuming how easy it must be to handle a dog who appears to be so compliant, Mr. Putter and Tabby rush in to help Mrs. Teaberry. They offer to take Zeke for his walks. But soon they learn how wrong they had been about guessing Zeke’s nature.

The first day they take him for his walk, it turns out to be a total nightmare. He keeps running, chasing all the dogs he sees, whirling around trees, tugging the leash and what not! Mr. Putter gets his fears of how he was going to push another week of taking Zeke out for his walks. He then decides to not give up too early. He starts bribing Zeke with treats like he would offer a kid. He comes up with a plan to discipline Zeke and make him more manageable. Does he succeed in his plan? Does Zeke start listening to Mr. Putter at all? How do they drag through the entire week? This is what the book is about. While the first book started on a happy note describing the serene life of Mr. Putter and Tabby, the second moves on to add a little humor. It is sure to give younger readers a lot of happy smiles all through the pages.

Other series you might like:

All of Rylant’swork have been positively received by young readers. They are among the classics in children’s books that every parent recommends. Rylant also received a number of awards and accolades for her books. The other children’s book series by Rylant that you might like are:

· Poppleton series (the little pig and his adventures)

· Annie and Snowball series (following the little girl and her pet bunny)

· Henry and Mudge series (following little Henry and his pet dog Mudge)

Rylant has also written many standalone books for children that have all been warmly received. In each case, he always had a way of connecting with his readers.