Show-and-Tell will never be the same after Mr. Putter and Tabby and Mrs. Teaberry and Zeke are through. Fall for Mr. Putter and his cat, Tabby, means crisp air, crunchy leaves and apples. But this year, the ringing of the school bell arouses a longing in Mr. Putter for school days gone by—globes, pencils, erasers. Just then, their neighbor's dog, Zeke, streaks through the yard wearing half a cake on his head and sparks one of Mr. Putter's infamous ideas. With Mrs. Teaberry as his accomplice, the two neighbors are soon scheduled to appear at first grade show-and-tell with their pets and their pet tricks...only Tabby and Zeke are not well known for any tricks. And by the end of the big day, the only trick they have done is a disappearing one: Zeke demolishes the class cupcakes, and then both skedaddle. Still, Mr. Putter gets to enjoy the school smells and sights and, especially, the children. And both he and Mrs. Teaberry enjoy laughing at the worst show-and-tell ever. Howard's pencil, watercolor and gouache illustrations charmingly convey Mr. Putter's longings, the mischievousness of his plan and his delight in being back in school. Rylant's ever-fresh text will gracefully coax emergent readers into independence. These four neighbors are great company, and their portrayal of aging is sweetly refreshing. (Early reader. 6-9)

As Mr. Putter rakes leaves (and Tabby attacks leaves), the school bell rings, and the old gent feels nostalgic. A neighbor finagles an invitation to take their pets to visit a first-grade classroom, where Zeke the dog ends up demolishing the cupcakes at "the worst show-and-tell ever." With six short chapters, this beginning reader tells an appealing story in simple language. There's strength and personality as well as humor in Howard's craggy pencil drawings, brightened with watercolor and gouache paints. An amusing fall-flavored offering from the Mr. Putter and Tabby series that's good for reading aloud or reading alone.

One "crispy fall" day, Mr. Putter, nostalgic for the sights and smells of school, encourages his neighbor and her "showy" dog to accompany Tabby and himself as show-and-tell guests in a first-grade classroom. The pets don't actually know any tricks, but the comical illustrations, filled with humorous details, take full advantage of the mayhem they cause at school.

K-Gr 2 In this episode, Mr. Putter is telling his cat, Tabby, how much he loves fall, and that leads him to realize how much he misses school. He goes to see Mrs. Teaberry, and they cook up an idea to take her dog, Zeke, and Tabby for show-and-tell to the local school. All does not go as planned. Children will love this easy-to-read, hilarious story. Every character has a distinct personality, including Zeke. This is a great school story, and it would fit well in any unit about fall, too. The text is simple enough for children who are reading fluently on their own, and the book is set up in mini-chapters, making it seem much more advanced than it is. The pencil and watercolor illustrations add to the fun. A first purchase. Lora Van Marel, Orland Park Public Library, IL