School Library Journal Review
Gr 1-3Those rumpled old friends are back in two new books. In Fly the Plane, Mr. Putter, who still loves toys, realizes his dream of flight with the acquisition of a radio-controlled plane. Tabby is uncomfortable around this noisy new toy but hides her feelings when she sees how happy it makes him. Mr. Putter eventually decides to give his beloved possession to an eager child. Rylant tells her story with clear yet lyrical prose, but the tale itself is a slight one, burdened with too much sentiment and not enough humor. Row the Boat is much better and typical of the series's deft mix of gentle humor and old-fashioned sentiment. On a hot summer day, the two friends are wondering how to escape the sweltering heat. Mr. Putter decides to head for the pond and invites along their neighbors, Mrs. Teaberry and her dog, Zeke. They pack a picnic lunch, rent a rowboat, and end up having a wonderful time. When the walk home leaves them just as hot as before, Mrs. Teaberry knows just the trick to cool them down. This is vintage Mr. Putter and Tabby: simple escapades enlivened by the conviviality of their warm friendship. Howard's colorful cartoons capture all of the fun and the expressions on the faces of the animals and the humans.Marilyn Taniguchi, Santa Monica Public Library, CA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
Old Mr. Putter and his 'fine cat,' Tabby, return in these simple and satisfying stories. In 'Fly the Plane', a toy biplane and a shy boy remind Mr. P. that he already has everything he needs. And in 'Row the Boat', he and Tabby beat the heat on a picnic with spunky Mrs. Teaberry and her dog, Zeke. Loose, expressive watercolors, given definition with firm pencil lines, add touches of humor to the short, easy-to-read chapters. From HORN BOOK 1997, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
A great little entry in Rylant and Howard's easy-to-read series (Mr. Putter and Tabby Pick the Pears, 1995, etc.), about the adventures of a charming elderly man and his lovably skittish cat, shown in wonderfully expressive illustrations. Mr. Putter and Tabby are too old to be so hot: They sweat on the porch, in the kitchen, and under the oak tree, and finally decide to go down to the big pond to cool off. They invite Mrs. Teaberry and her dog, Zeke, and the rest of the afternoon is filled with simple summer pleasures: rowing, picnicking, soaking toes in the cool water, watching Tabby and Zeke find their own amusements. Of course, when it is time to go home, they get hot and sweaty again, but Mrs. Teaberry finds a delightful, if fleeting, solution to that. Full of down-to-earth touches as well as whimsical ones--a blue jay tries to peck the artificial grapes on Mrs. Teaberry's hat, Mr. Putter's reminisces about the county worm race he won with an entrant named Jack--this is a comfortable and nifty addition to the series. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Gr. 1^-2. The duo first introduced in Mr. Putter and Tabby Pour the Tea (1994) returns for more adventures. In Fly the Plane, the old man purchases a radio-controlled biplane, much to his elderly cat's dismay. After many unsuccessful attempts, the plane finally flies, and Mr. Putter discovers that he gets as much satisfaction from watching a young boy operate the toy as he does from flying it himself. In Row the Boat, the pair tries to beat the heat by inviting neighbor Mrs. Teaberry and her dog Zeke on a relaxing picnic and rowboat ride. Although the return trip home makes all of them hot and sweaty again, Mrs. Teaberry cools them off by pouring water on their heads. Howard's colorful, mixed-media illustrations add many interesting and humorous details to Rylant's understated text. Although there's very little tension with so many gentle characters, these pleasant vignettes are sure to appeal to beginning readers. --Kay Weisman
