Shall We Dance? Mr. Putter and Tabby Dance the Dance by Cynthia Rylant

Mrs. Teaberry has been watching a ballroom dancing contest on television. She gets out her high-heeled dancing shoes and gets an idea. And when Mrs. Teaberry gets an idea, she calls Mr. Putter.

"I think we should go ballroom dancing," she said.

Mr. Potter looked at Tabby, napping in the geraniums. Tabby was old. like he was. "I am not sure I have it in me," he said.

"I have two left feet. I haven't danced since 1947."

"Dancing is good for people," said Mrs. Teaberry. "What have you got to lose?"

Mr. Potter is pretty sure he has a lot to lose--his dignity, for one thing. A lot of good napping time, for another. 

But as usual with Mrs. Teaberry's ideas, with Tabby in tow Mr. Potter finds himself escorting Mrs. Teaberry and Zeke (in a doggie tux and top hat) to the very sparkly Crystal Ballroom. All the dancers look spiffy and Tabby loves chasing the dancing sparkles. Mr. Potter says he does not know how to rumba or do the fox trot, so they wait at their table until the band plays a cha-cha-cha.

They told Tabby and Zeke to stay. One of them was good at staying.

One of them was not.

Mr. Putter is actually getting the knack of the cha-cha-cha, and he and Mrs. Teaberry are having a good time--when...

Zeke stopped staying and ran out on the sparkly floor and grabbed a man's tuxedo tails and danced with him for a while.
Then he grabbed a lady's poodle skirt and danced with her.

And when the band swings into a tango, Zeke whirls with a rose in his teeth. Some dancers stop dancing and watch Zeke.

And no one notices that Mr. Putter has two left feet, in Cynthia Rylant's story of quite a night on the town in Mr. Putter & Tabby Dance the Dance (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt). 

In a happy combination of author Rylant's endearing and well-portrayed characters and artist Arthur Howard's personality-filled illustrations done in pencil, watercolor and gouache, along with notable page designs with large font and drawings set spot-art style, this one makes beginning chapter book reading a joy for primary graders to pursue. Encore, Mr. Putter and Tabby--right after you have a good nap!Labels: Ballroom Dancing--Fiction, Beginning Readers, Cats--Fiction, Dogs--Fiction, Old Age--Fiction (Grades 1-4)