In the Doghouse? Bad Dog Flash! by Ruth Paul

SNIFF SHOES. LICK SHOES.

GNAW SHOES. MORE SHOES.

YOUR SHOES?

"BAD DOG, FLASH!"



Poor Flash! He's just a pup, and he's keeping his new owner busy.

When the cat spots the new puppy, she does what any cat would do. She RUNS! Then so does Flash, with a WOOF!

The cat runs up a tree, and smirks down at the pooch while his little owner fusses.

"BAD DOG, FLASH!"

She keeps Flash outside to work off some of his exuberant energy, but then he spots the clothes hanging out to dry on the line. They snap, and flap, and flip and tease in the wind, but when Flash grabs a shirt sleeve and gets a good grip on it, there's another sound. R-i-i-i-p-p-p!

Flash is corraled and kenneled to think about it, but once he's out of the doghouse, there're more puppy problems. He jumps with muddy paws into the basket with the clean clothes. He chases the girl and catches the hem of her skirt in his little puppy teeth.

What can his well-meaning little owner do?

It's time for a cuddle, in Ruth Paul's ebullient new puppy story, Bad Dog Flash. Flash is one down dog, until his kindly little mistress pulls him onto her lap and tells him what he needs to hear most:

"GOOD DOG, FLASH."

Ruth Paul's clever and rhythmic rhymes make this story practically read itself,  With a plot that new puppy owners will recognize and expressive characters--girl, pup, and even the supercilious old cat--that inspire empathy, this new dog tale is great for readalouds with its repeatable refrain,  as well as for beginners to try out their reading skills. There is also a lot to discover in Paul's good-natured humorous illustrations of one naughty but undeniably cute little puppy.

Going for the Gusto! Mr. Putter and Tabby Turn the Page by Cynthia Rylant and Arthur Howard

Mr. Putter and Tabby love quiet time together, especially quiet reading time, when Tabby listens from Mr. Putter's lap, from on his feet, and even from on his head.

So when Mr. Putter spots a sign in the library, he was not sure it is a good idea for him and Tabby.

READ ALOUD WITH YOUR PET AT STORY TIME.

Mr. Putter is intrigued. He has fond memories of story time at school. But story time at the library is not necessarily quiet time.
Still, maybe reading doesn't always have to be quiet.

Excited, Mr. Putter signs Tabby up.

AFTER SIGNING UP, MR. PUTTER MADE A MISTAKE.

HE FORGOT THAT MRS. TEABERRY LOVED ANYTHING NEW.

ANYTHING.

As always, when Mrs. Teaberry hears about it, she takes the idea over the top. She shops for a new hat. She rehearses her good dog Zeke for his part in her reading. And Mr. Putter is worried that story time at the library with Zeke might get a little too exciting for Tabby's taste.

But Mr. Putter decides to make the best of it and go along with Mrs. Teaberry. He and Tabby rehearse their bear book every day, too.

At the library the children assembled for Story Time are very excited. Tabby purrs and Zeke licks lots of kid faces. Then Mrs. Teaberry takes her seat in the reading chair and begins reading a story about a dog.

ZEKE MADE ALL THE SOUND EFFECTS.
WHEN THE DOG IN THE STORY HOWLED, ZEKE HOWLED.
AND WHEN THE DOG IN THE STORY RAN AWAY, ZEKE RAN AWAY.

Mrs. Teaberry knows Zeke always comes back, so she gives the reading chair to Mr. Putter. Just as he's getting into his bear story with gusto and Tabby is trying out different laps and heads in the story circle, Zeke re-enters. He's obviously raided the librarians' lunchroom, and there's something in his mouth.

HE HAD SOMEONE'S CHEESE SANDWICH--AND A DIFFERENT HAT.

HE ALSO SMELLED LIKE GRAPEFRUIT JUICE.

Mr. Putter and Tabby have definitely done something new, in Cynthia Rylant's forthcoming newest in her beloved series, Mr. Putter & Tabby Turn the Page (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014). As usual, his friendship with Mrs. Teaberry leads the mild-mannered Mr. Putter into the fun of a new experience, Meanwhile, Newbery artist Arthur Howard's inimitable portrayal of Tabby's and Zeke's body language comically reveal the differences in their personalities that mirror those of their devoted owners. Story time is always a good time, and fans of the first 22 books in the best-selling Mr. Putter and Tabby series will find themselves with a strange desire to munch a cheese sandwich while they curl up with this one with their pets for a bit of reading.

Eggstra! Pete the Cat: Big Easter Adventure by Kimberly and James Dean

UH,OH! THE EASTER BASKET WAS EMPTY.

PETE,

PLEASE HELP FIND THE EGGS. PAINT THE EGGS. HIDE THE EGGS.

THANKS,
THE EASTER BUNNY

Hey! This isn't cool! A Do-It-Yourself Easter Basket?

But for Pete, it's all good. If being a substitute Bunny is what it takes to get the fun off the ground, he's up for it!

Pete pitches in, putting on the fake ears and faux bunny nose and powder puff tail, and heading out to rustle some eggs, with help of the cheerful chicks in the chicken yard.

But this thing is on a tight deadline, and Pete has to hop off fast to the tool shed for some paints, where he does an egg-cellent job of egg art . As soon as the striped, dotted, and fully decorated eggs are dry, he heads off to hide the eggs for the big Easter Egg Hunt in his neighborhood.

With the work all done, the Easter Bunny puts in a brief personal appearance, just long enough to pin an award ribbon on his stand-in--the one with a bunny tail AND a long black cat tail.

But, it's all good. Happy Easter, Everyone!

Kimberly and James Dean's latest holiday tale, Pete the Cat: Big Easter Adventure (HarperCollins, 2014), breaks no eggs in the usual omelet of the helping-the-Easter-Bunny genre, but a hippety-hoppity Pete with his ever-cool countenance and two tails is pretty funny, and the twelve ever-so-cute Easter cards, pull-out poster, and eggs-traordinary stickers will go a long way to providing the sweet treats for Easter baskets for Pete the Cat fans.