When Mr. Putter and Mrs. Teaberry join an oldsters' baseball team, Tabby (Mr. Putter's cat) makes a contented benchwarmer, but Zeke (Mrs. Teaberry's dog) chases every hit ball, snatches it, and runs around in circles. Their teammates grumble until Zeke and Mr. Putter save the day. Rylant's sympathetic characters work their usual magic, entertaining all ages with a text well suited to beginning readers. Meanwhile, Howard doubles the fun with amusing pencil, watercolor, and gouache illustrations that depict "seasoned" players as they round the bases in slow motion and attempt to field ground balls even when their knees are saying, "No way."

In this entry in the reliable easy-reader series, Mr. Putter and Tabby, along with Mrs. Teaberry and dog Zeke, join a geriatric baseball team. Their game is slow-moving but energized by Zeke's enthusiasm for chasing balls (in or out of play). Cheerful pictures on each spread enliven the story, and new readers will welcome the concise sentences and chapters.

Batter up, Mr. Putter and Tabby! With over 20 titles in this venerable series, Rylant and Howard are still able to find ideas that bring not only a chuckle, but a side of confidence to new readers. This time, Mr. Putter realizes that he and Tabby have been napping too much. Though Tabby's frisky days are over, Mr. Putter still has some energy. Is Mr. Putter too old to play baseball? Heck, no. He finds his mitt, calls up his buddy Mrs. Teaberry and joins a coed team of senior citizens called the Yankee Doodle Dandies. It's clear from the illustrations that Mr. Putter is not too old for this team! Though he is clad in his trademark blue plaid shirt and straw hat, the others are in their uniforms, plump and unathletic, with oversized ears and beer bellies. Mrs. Teaberry's dog, Zeke, insists on fielding the ball…and holding it, which allows the opposing team an advantage. From Tabby's suspicious looks to chubby Zeke diving for the ball to the baseball field filled with elderly, enthusiastic athletes, Howard and Rylant allow young readers to enjoy the game--they'll wish they had grandfathers just like Mr. Putter. A home run. (Early reader. 4-8)

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