I’ve no new quirky children’s books to blog about, although I will say that our latest library thing has been checking out books from the science and animal sections – picture books that illustrate where milk comes from, what whales are like, and so on. Joseph really likes those.

But I do want to say something,something about an author who has been writing for a while, but who has only recently really entered my consciousness in a consistent kind of way – Cynthia Rylant.

For years, I only knew Rylant as the author of the lovely picture book When I Was Young in the Mountains. But now, with Joseph, I’ve learned there’s much more to Cynthia Rylant – mostly in the "easy reader" section, not in the picture books. Although Joseph isn’t even close to being able to read these books, he greatly enjoys hearing them read to him, beginning with the Henry and Mudge series and now moving on to Mr. Putter and Tabby books.

Henry and Mudge are a boy and his dog, Mr. Putter and Tabby are an old man and his cat. Rylant tells very simple stories about straightforward challenges – what to do about the prissy cousin who is coming to visit? What will it be like to play on a very windy day? What to do on a rainy day when you’re bored?  – and tells the stories with grace and directness, not to speak of charm and humor. I’m terrible at trying to communicate things like this, but I think what appeals to me so strongly about these books is that in this age of cynicism that even infects children’s culture, Rylant takes children where they are – where she knows they still are – and tells a story in which their worries (Henry is worried a lot) are sympathetically adressed and fun solutions are found.

And a series about an elderly man and a cat? How interesting could that be to children? Very, if Joseph is any indication – for of course, the old man and the cat confront complications as well – Mr. Putter decides to paint his porch, and at every attempt, some small creature for the cat to chase races by, splattering paint everywhere. Mr. Putter’s neighbor breaks her foot, and he volunteers to walk her dog, a dog he thinks is a "dream dog" but turns out to be an affable "nightmare dog" instead.

Rylant’s grandparents were very important in her childhood, and that respect for older people and relatives really shines through in her work. We read the first Mr. Putter book last night, in which Mr. Putter decides he wants a cat, but not one of the jumpy, excitable kittens at the pet shop – because he hasn’t been jumpy and excitable in a while himself – and instead settles on Tabby, a well-lived cat from the shelter with whom he can share his English muffins, to whom he can tell his stories and with whom he can sing along to his operas very loudly. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself moved. Really.

Cynthia Rylant pens gentle, emotionally authentic books and is always assisted by marvelous illustrators. I’ll let her have the final word:

And I love being a writer because I want to leave something here on earth to make it better, prettier, stronger. I want to do something important in my life, and I think that adding beauty to the world with books like The Relatives Came or Waiting to Waltz or Henry and Mudge and the Forever Sea really is important. Every person is able to add beauty, whether by growing flowers, or singing, or cooking luscious meals, or raising sweet pets. Every part of life can be art. I am so grateful to be a writer. I hope every child grows up and finds something to do that will seem important and that will seem precious. Happy living and, especially, happy playing.