Toot & Puddle

September 1, 1997
In this charming, sweetly illustrated debut picture book, home was "such a perfect place to be that Puddle never wanted to go anywhere else. Toot, on the other hand, loved to take trips." So in January when Toot goes on his "biggest trip ever," Puddle happily stays home to enjoy the snow and go ice-skating. What follows is a kind of piggy calendar as Toot's monthly postcards are juxtaposed with illustrations of Puddle's homespun activities. Toot writes, "Egypt is awesome. The pyramids are the greatest. Wish you could meet me at the oasis," and Puddle back home wishes "Toot were there to taste the pancakes." When Toot returns home in December, Puddle salutes Toot's "adventures around the world," and Toot drinks to Puddle's "adventures right at home." Although the story at times seems to oscillate between a traditional story narrative (e.g., "Yes, Puddle missed his friend") to a text that occasionally resembles picture labels (e.g.,"Meanwhile... presenting Puddle at Pocket Pond!"), the parallel stories highlight seasonal activities familiar to children (and tourist spots familiar to adults). Hobbie's detailed watercolors are reminiscent of Helen Oxenbury or Lynn Munsinger, crammed with clever and humorous details (e.g., a mountain ram crowding out a Mont Blanc-climbing Toot). Children will be reassured by the message that friends can have different interests and still enjoy one another. Ages 4-8.

December 15, 2020
Beloved characters Toot, Puddle, and Opal are back in this garden mystery. Toot, Puddle, and Puddle's young cousin Opal are planting a garden full of vegetables and flowers. Each morning they check to see how their garden is growing. Every evening they admire their garden, dreaming of eating their crops. But when they visit the garden one morning, they notice that their lettuce leaves have been snacked on. Realizing there is an uninvited guest, the pigs build a fence around the garden. Unfortunately, that doesn't stop whatever it is from coming back to munch their lettuce and spinach. Riddled with worries and beset by nightmares about the creature, the three pigs decide to stay up all night and catch the culprit. Toot, Puddle, and Opal do everything they can to scare the creature away, but it pays them no mind, leaving at dawn. When it doesn't come back, they begin to realize that maybe there was enough spinach for everyone. What begins as a story about suspicion and withholding ends as a sweet tale of kindness and sharing. Hobbie's classic watercolor illustrations create a sweet, whimsical springtime garden. The pigs show great emotion on their faces and with their ears, bringing the text to life. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at 27.6% of actual size.) An adorable springtime addition to this beloved series, with an oh-so-timely message. (Picture book. 3-6)

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