Cynthia Rylant

Titles:  Poppleton Series; Mr. Putter and Tabby Series; Henry and Mudge Series

Ratings:  ***  (3 stars out of 3 possible, "A")
              Highly Recommended

Audience:  Beginning Readers, boys and girls ages 4 and up

While I'm on the topic of Cynthia Rylant, I don't want any family to miss out on her series for preschoolers and young elementary ages.  The number of books available here can keep your Kindergartner well-occupied until he or she is ready for short chapter books, and the illustrations and humor will entertain adults who enjoy reading aloud to their kids.

Poppleton the pig and his many friends enjoy animal adventures around their small town.  Imagine a pig in a Hawaiian shirt riding the bus to the beach with his friend Hudson the mouse.  Or, picture his chatty neighbor, Cherry Sue the llama.  One humorously exasperating episode involves Poppleton disguising a pill to help his goat friend, Fillmore, take his medicine.  The goat, who will typically eat anything and everything, turns down the final piece of cake:  "There's a pill in that one."

Mr. Putter and his cat Tabby have similar "adventures" with their neighbors, Mrs. Teaberry and her "good dog" Zeke.  I liked to walk my children through the seasons with Mr. Putter:  Mr. Putter and Tabby Pick the Pears for fall, Mr. Putter and Tabby Row the Boat for summer, Mr. Putter and Tabby Bake the Cake for birthdays, etc.  Arthur Howard's cheery, watercolor illustrations are a perfect match for Rylant's irrepressible humor.  (Take a look at the jacket cover for Mr. Putter and Tabby Walk the Dog, for instance.)  Additionally, this series is a wonderful way to introduce kids to the charms of the older generation.

Finally, most families are already familiar with the Henry and Mudge books.  Henry and his parents enjoy typical, every-day activities augmented by their large, slobbery dog Mudge.  Henry's cousin Annie has books of her own which, while not as outstanding in my opinion, may appeal more to young girls.

Just reviewing these series today brings back warm, cozy memories of morning library trips and afternoons on the couch snuggling up with kids for reading.  Hope your family enjoys Cynthia Rylant as much as mine has!

see also:  Cobble Street Cousins;  Lighthouse Family