Mr. Pudgins

You’ve never met a babysitter like Mr. Pudgins!

When Mr. Pudgins comes to watch John, Pete, and Janey, all kinds of crazy things happen. Faucets run soda pop instead of water, the bathtub takes them for a ride, a case of the hiccups releases birds into the house, and friends step out of the mirror! Somehow all evidence of their antics is erased by the time Mother and Father get home. Mr. Pudgins is the best babysitter ever! But what happens when John, Pete, and Janey grow older? Ruth Christoffer Carlsen’s classic novel, first published in 1951, celebrates the power of the imagination through one unforgettable babysitter. An introduction by noted librarian Nancy Pearl is included.

Ruth Christoffer Carlsen was a noted author of eight children’s books. She grew up in the Midwest and graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1939 with a degree in journalism. Her father, a railroad man with a twinkle in his eye, ran the Saint Paul Union Depot and partially inspired the character of Mr. Pudgins. Ruth married and settled with her family in Boulder, Colorado, where Mr. Pudgins was written. She tested each chapter of the book on her young family. After publication, the family moved to Austin, Texas, and then Iowa City, Iowa, where Ruth’s husband was a professor. Together, they edited and wrote textbook and educational materials. Ruth Christoffer Carlsen is included in the Iowa City Literary Walk, which celebrates Iowa writers.

Margaret “Peg” Bradfield was a twentieth-century fine artist and illustrator born in 1898. She received her bachelor's degree in art from the Teachers College at Columbia University in 1920. Peg married and settled with her family in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where she began her career. During her lifetime, she illustrated several children's books as well as hundreds of education filmstrips, and her portraits and paintings of Ann Arbor and other places she visited were displayed throughout the US. An ardent nature and animal lover, Peg had a fondness for cats and for her flower garden that can be seen in much of her work.

Nancy Pearl is a librarian and lifelong reader. She regularly comments on books on National Public Radio’s Morning Edition. Her books include 2003’s Book Lust: Recommended Reading for Every Mood, Moment, and Reason, 2005’s More Book Lust: 1,000 New Reading Recommendations for Every Mood, Moment, and Reason; 2007’s Book Crush: For Kids and Teens; Recommended Reading for Every Mood, Moment, and Interest; and 2010’s Book Lust To Go: Recommended Reading for Travelers, Vagabonds, and Dreamers. Among her many awards and honors are the 2011 Librarian of the Year Award from Library Journal, the 2011 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association, the 2010 Margaret E. Monroe Award from the Reference and Users Services Association of the American Library Association, and the 2004 Women’s National Book Association Award.