Books like Mr. Putter & Tabby Ring the Bell
By Cynthia Rylant
For the grandparent-aged reader in every kid's life, and for kids who love hearing about grown-up friendships as much as kid ones, Mr. Putter's field trip back to school feels like a warm, funny reunion. Cozy, autumnal, gently comic — the feeling of crunchy leaves and a school bell ringing in the distance.
An older man and his neighbor decide to join a band together, but finding one that's the right fit turns out to be trickier than they expected — for them and their pets.
An older man and his cat plan a perfect train outing with their neighbor and her dog, only to learn at the station that pets aren't allowed — until he thinks of a clever fix.
A girl named Emily Elizabeth introduces her enormous red dog, Clifford, sharing the everyday activities they enjoy together and the ways they look after one another.
A nervous cat starts his first day of Cat School and sneaks his pet mouse Seymour along in his lunchbox for comfort — but when Seymour escapes, the whole class does what cats do best.
Twin sisters who look alike but never think alike share six funny stories about their everyday adventures, proving that being silly together is its own kind of fun.
Two best friends spend a week of summer vacation at Eamon's grandparents' house, supposedly for Nature Camp — but waffles, video games, and staying inside turn out far more interesting than nature ever was.
A picnic goes sideways when rain and stormy winds send an umbrella (and Mouse!) flying into a tree — one friend calls it good news, the other bad, all the way through.
Five short stories follow two hippo best friends through everyday mishaps and mix-ups, including one memorable picnic where George drags along Martha's bed instead of letting her sleep in.
A worried elephant is down in the dumps, so his best friend pig dresses up as a cowboy, a clown, and even a robot — but none of it seems to be the right kind of cheering up.
Three children and their pets meet up, becoming fast friends who play, squabble, laugh, and make up again, the way real friendships actually go.
A mouse named Chester has one way of doing everything, and his best friend Wilson happily matches him move for move — until a bold new neighbor named Lilly moves in with her own way of doing things entirely.
A boy named Buzz searches for something to catch for the Amazing Pet Show, and a hungry fly follows a smell — and the two strike up a friendship no one expects.
