Review of the children\u27s book  Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes,  by Eric Litwin, and illustrated by James Dean

Cowle, Vanessa

English

DigitalCommons@Kennesaw State University

Georgia Library QuarterlyVolume 45 | Issue 3 Article 28October 2008REVIEW: Pete the Cat: I Love My White ShoesVanessa CowleForsyth County Public LibraryFollow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/glqPart of the American Literature CommonsThis Review is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@Kennesaw State University. It has been accepted for inclusion in GeorgiaLibrary Quarterly by an authorized editor of DigitalCommons@Kennesaw State University. For more information, please contactdigitalcommons@kennesaw.edu.Recommended CitationCowle, Vanessa (2008) "REVIEW: Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes," Georgia Library Quarterly: Vol. 45 : Iss. 3 , Article 28.Available at: https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/glq/vol45/iss3/2824   Fall 2008   Georgia Library Quarterlythe way through the novel, culminating in an ending thatmakes the book a good candidate for a discussion.Recommended for public and high school libraries. — Reviewed by Carol MalcolmRiverside Military AcademyLife As We Knew It by Susan BethPfeffer (Harcourt Children’s Books,October 2006; ISBN 0-1520-5-8265,$17.00).Georgia Peach Book Award for TeenReaders NomineeThe moon. It’s beautiful, romantic andmysterious. But never before has itbeen terrifying. In Life As We Knew It,a meteor knocks the moon out of its orbit and that muchcloser to earth. This has a profound effect on the climateand the tides, and the globe is plunged into a stage ofunexpected emergency. Through the eyes of one family’sstruggle, we see a catastrophe of global proportionsunfold. In Miranda’s diary, we see a 16-year-old girlwhose high school worries quickly get overshadowed inthe battle for survival. Perhaps the most intriguing aspectof this story is the example set by Miranda that ordinarypeople are capable of extraordinary sacrifice, courage andheroism in times of need. The fact that global warmingand subsequent climate change are part of our everydaypolitical and social dialogue puts Life As We Knew It veryclose to the realm of possibility. This eerie realism makesthe story that much more suspenseful and terrifying.After reading Life As We Knew It, you’ll never look at themoon the same way again. — Reviewed by Jessica De MariaAtlanta-Fulton Public Library SystemPete the Cat: I Love My WhiteShoes by Eric Litwin, illustratedby James Dean (United WritersPress, 2008; ISBN: 978-1-934216-51-8, $17.95).Pete the Cat, the iconic creationof artist Dean and subject ofdozens of paintings, debuts as achildren’s picture book hero inthis rollicking, rhyming ditty(music CD included). Children’s musical entertainer Litwinoutfits his hero in spanking new white shoes. Proud ofthese sparkling treads, Pete strides along until he steps ina large pile of something colorful (strawberries),transforming the shining sneakers. Poor Pete the Cat! ButPete doesn’t let his shoes’ new hues get him down: “DidPete cry? Goodness, no!” Pete repeats his cheerful refrainthrough several colorful if unlikely fashion mishaps andconcludes, “It’s all good.” The illustrations, in vibrantprimary colors, pace the story in much the same way asLitwin’s musical telling does. Part color concept book, parttribute to optimism, part sing-along, I Love My WhiteShoes is recommended for ages 3 to 7 and for librarystory programs. Count on an even wider age range ofappeal if pairing the book with musical storytelling. — Reviewed by Vanessa CowieForsyth County Public LibrarySaturdays and Teacakes byLester L. Laminack, illustrated byChris Soentpiet (PeachtreePublishers, 2004; ISBN 1-56145-303-X, $16.95).What’s the best thing aboutSaturdays? According to themain character in Saturdays andTeacakes, the best thing is going to see Mawmaw who isalways waiting, just for him. Lester L. Laminack’s story is asummertime account of one young boy’s weekly ritual —bicycling to his grandmother’s house to spend the daywith her. The reader watches his trip, including his stop atthe traffic light near the gasoline station where heremembers his mother’s stricture “You stop and look bothways … I don’t care if the light is green. I’ll hear about itif you don’t.” Once he gets to Mawmaw’s, tomatoes arepicked, grass is cut so that the clippings cling to bare legsand lunch is made of juicy tomato sandwiches. Then heand Mawmaw make the teacakes of the title, enjoyingtheir time together before he returns home with a basketof teacakes and vegetables. Lester Laminack’s words drawa picture of the special relationship between agrandmother and grandson as well as childhood in asmall Southern town. Chris Soentpiet’s paintings are acharming visual telling of the story. The incredible detailsof the paintings, from the cars at the gasoline station tothe inside of Mawmaw’s house, draw the reader furtherinto the story and help to create an enjoyable readingexperience. Grandparents will enjoy reading this story tograndchildren for the story itself and its illustrations.Children will enjoy the use of repetitive words such aspedal and criiick-craaack as well as following the storythrough the pictures. Recommended for most children’scollections. — Reviewed by Beth Pye Gordon College1Cowle: REVIEW: Pete the CatPublished by DigitalCommons@Kennesaw State University, 2008

REVIEW: Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes

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REVIEW: Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes

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