Get with the Beat

I had several more Toot and Puddle books on hold from the library, didn’t realize this was one of the made-from-tv-show versions until I picked it up. I tried it anyways. It was- not great. Cute and a good message, but just not interesting to me. After reading quite a few of these, it just didn’t seem original. A bit formulaic- for the tv show, but I can totally see how that appeals to children. Toot and Puddle are discussing something (in this case, music) right before Toot leaves to travel the world. Literally- he gets into the taxi to go the airport while they’re talking about hearing music around them. Puddle has been enjoying the sounds of birds and insects, and blows on grass to whistle. Toot isn’t sure he could ever find music in nature like that. While on his trip -visiting a jungle in Africa- he does start to think things sound musical around him- animals slapping on the surface of water, monkeys chattering, etc. He meets some wild pigs who show him how to collect honey, and play on their drums. Toot is intrigued by the drumming and wants a drum of his own. He trades the honey he collected for a drum in the market, to take home with him. Meanwhile, he’s written Puddle a postcard about his drum. Puddle hears water dripping on a rain barrel and thinks it sounds like a drum. He fashions his own drum, so when Toot gets home they play their instruments together. Which is proclaimed an adventure.