Mr. Putter and Mr. Putter and Tabby Fly the Tabby Fly the

PlanePlaneby Cynthia Rylantby Cynthia Rylant

iIlustrated by Arthur HowardiIlustrated by Arthur Howard

Mr. Putter loved toys. He Mr. Putter loved toys. He was old, and he knew that was old, and he knew that

he wasn’t supposed to he wasn’t supposed to love toys anymore.love toys anymore.

But he did.But he did.

When Mr. Putter and his When Mr. Putter and his fine cat, Tabby, drove into fine cat, Tabby, drove into

town, they always town, they always stopped at the toy store.stopped at the toy store.

Tabby was not happy at the Tabby was not happy at the toy store. She was old, toy store. She was old,

too, and her nerves too, and her nerves weren’t as good as they weren’t as good as they

used to be.used to be.

The wind-up toys made her The wind-up toys made her twitch.twitch.

The pop-up toys made her The pop-up toys made her jump.jump.

And anything that flew And anything that flew gave her the hiccups.gave her the hiccups.

But Tabby loved Mr. Putter, But Tabby loved Mr. Putter, so she put up with all of it.so she put up with all of it.

While she twitched and While she twitched and jumped and hiccuped, Mr. jumped and hiccuped, Mr.

Putter played with Putter played with everything.everything.

He played with the dump He played with the dump trucks.trucks.

He played with the cranes.He played with the cranes.

He played with the bear on He played with the bear on the flying trapeze.the flying trapeze.

But most of all he played But most of all he played with the planes. with the planes.

Ever since he was a boy Ever since he was a boy Mr. Putter had loved Mr. Putter had loved

planes.planes.

When he was young he had When he was young he had covered his whole room covered his whole room

with them.with them.

Biplanes were his favorite, Biplanes were his favorite, but he also loved…but he also loved…

monoplanes and seaplanes monoplanes and seaplanes and shiny ace Junkers.and shiny ace Junkers.

He thought he might really He thought he might really fly a plane one day.fly a plane one day.

But he never did.But he never did.

So now he just looked at So now he just looked at toy planes every chance toy planes every chance

he got.he got.

One day when Mr. Putter One day when Mr. Putter and Tabby were in the toy and Tabby were in the toy

store and Tabby was store and Tabby was hissing at a wind-up hissing at a wind-up penguin, Mr. Putter penguin, Mr. Putter

spotted a plane he had spotted a plane he had never seen before.never seen before.

It was white and red, with It was white and red, with two wings on each side two wings on each side

and a little flag on its tail.and a little flag on its tail.

It was the most beautiful It was the most beautiful biplane he had ever seen. biplane he had ever seen. And it had a radio control And it had a radio control so a person might really so a person might really

fly it.fly it.

Mr. Putter was in love. Mr. Putter was in love.

He bought the little plane He bought the little plane and put it in the car with and put it in the car with

Tabby.Tabby.

He told her not to worry. He told her not to worry. He promised her a nice He promised her a nice cup of tea with lots of cup of tea with lots of

cream and a warm English cream and a warm English muffin.muffin.

But still she hiccuped all But still she hiccuped all the way home.the way home.

Hiccup

Mr. Putter kept his promise. Mr. Putter kept his promise. He gave Tabby tea with He gave Tabby tea with

cream and a warm English cream and a warm English muffin.muffin.

Then Then together together

they went they went outside to outside to fly his new fly his new

plane.plane.

Tabby had stopped Tabby had stopped hiccuping, but only hiccuping, but only

because she was full of because she was full of tea. She still didn’t like tea. She still didn’t like

Mr. Putter’s plane.Mr. Putter’s plane.

Mr. Putter sat Mr. Putter sat on the grass on the grass and read all and read all

the the directions.directions.

Then he put the plane on Then he put the plane on the grass and stepped the grass and stepped back and pressed the back and pressed the

start button.start button.

But the plane did not start. But the plane did not start. It just rolled over and It just rolled over and

died. died.

Tabby purred.Tabby purred.

Mr. Putter ran to the little Mr. Putter ran to the little plane. plane.

He set it right again. He set it right again.

He told it to be a good little He told it to be a good little plane. plane.

He stepped back and He stepped back and pressed the start button.pressed the start button.

But the plane did not start. But the plane did not start. It fell on its nose and died. It fell on its nose and died. Tabby purred and purred. Tabby purred and purred.

Mr. Putter ran to the plane. Mr. Putter ran to the plane. He brushed the dirt off its He brushed the dirt off its

nose. He told it to be a nose. He told it to be a brave little plane.brave little plane.

He stepped back and He stepped back and pressed the start button. pressed the start button.

But the plane did not But the plane did not start.start.

One of its wings fell off One of its wings fell off and it died.and it died.

Tabby purred and purred Tabby purred and purred and purred.and purred.

But poor Mr. Putter was But poor Mr. Putter was

so sad. so sad.

He picked up his little He picked up his little biplane. He told the plane biplane. He told the plane

that it was all his fault.that it was all his fault.

He told it that he was an old He told it that he was an old man and old men man and old men

shouldn’t have toys shouldn’t have toys anyway.anyway.

He said he wasn’t any good He said he wasn’t any good at flying planes.at flying planes.

Tabby watched Mr. Putter. Tabby watched Mr. Putter. She could see that he was She could see that he was

sad. sad.

Then she felt sad, too. Then she felt sad, too. Tabby went to Mr. Putter Tabby went to Mr. Putter

and rubbed herself and rubbed herself against his legs.against his legs.

She sat on his shoulder, She sat on his shoulder, put her head by his, and put her head by his, and

licked his nose.licked his nose.

This made Mr. Putter feel This made Mr. Putter feel better.better.

He decided to try again. He decided to try again.

He fixed the wing. He set He fixed the wing. He set the little plane on the the little plane on the

grass.grass.

He told it that he and Tabby He told it that he and Tabby knew it was the best plane knew it was the best plane

in the whole world. in the whole world.

Then he pressed the Then he pressed the

start button.start button.

The little plane choked.The little plane choked.

The little plane coughed.The little plane coughed.

The little plane gagged.The little plane gagged.

But it didn’t die. But it didn’t die.

It warmed up and began It warmed up and began

to sound better.to sound better.

Then slowly, ever so Then slowly, ever so slowly, it rolled across the slowly, it rolled across the

grass.grass.

It started to pick up It started to pick up speed….speed….

And then it flew!And then it flew!

It flew high into the blue It flew high into the blue sky. sky.

Mr. Putter cheered. Mr. Putter cheered.

Tabby purred and Tabby purred and hiccuped. hiccuped.

Mr. Putter was finally Mr. Putter was finally

flying a plane of his very flying a plane of his very own!own!

QUESTIONSQUESTIONS

How does Tabby help Mr. How does Tabby help Mr. Putter fly the plane?Putter fly the plane?

Why do you think the Why do you think the author tells you that toys author tells you that toys that make Tabby worry?that make Tabby worry?

How can you tell that Mr. How can you tell that Mr. Putter and Tabby are Putter and Tabby are

good friends?good friends?

Meet the AuthorMeet the Author

Cynthia Rylant loves to Cynthia Rylant loves to write books. She thinks write books. She thinks that writing books adds that writing books adds

beauty to the world.beauty to the world.You can add beauty to the You can add beauty to the

world, too.world, too.

Cynthia says you can grow Cynthia says you can grow beautiful flowers, cook beautiful flowers, cook delicious food or raise delicious food or raise wonderful, sweet pets.wonderful, sweet pets.

Cynthia has a cat named, Cynthia has a cat named, Blueberry.Blueberry.

Blueberry loves to eat!Blueberry loves to eat!

Meet the IllustratorMeet the Illustrator

Arthur Howard thought Arthur Howard thought about Mr. Putter and his about Mr. Putter and his

cat, Tabby, for a long time cat, Tabby, for a long time before drawing their before drawing their

pictures.pictures.

Arthur thought about what Arthur thought about what good friends do to help good friends do to help

each other.each other.

Arthur does not have a pet Arthur does not have a pet cat.cat.

He has a pet hermit crab He has a pet hermit crab named Buster.named Buster.

VOCABULARYVOCABULARY

CRANESCRANES

A crane is a A crane is a machine with machine with

long moveable long moveable arms that is arms that is used to lift used to lift

things.things.

DIRECTIONSDIRECTIONSDirections are instructions on how to do Directions are instructions on how to do

something or get somewhere.something or get somewhere.

PROMISEPROMISE

A promise is a statement saying I will do A promise is a statement saying I will do something.something.

TWITCHTWITCH

To twitch is to move with sharp, quick To twitch is to move with sharp, quick movements. My nose twitches.movements. My nose twitches.

WORRYWORRY

To worry is to think that bad things will To worry is to think that bad things will happen.happen.

The EndThe End