{"id":11068,"date":"2012-07-16T22:31:59","date_gmt":"2012-07-17T02:31:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=11068"},"modified":"2012-07-16T22:31:59","modified_gmt":"2012-07-17T02:31:59","slug":"review-of-pete-the-cat-and-his-four-groovy-buttons-by-eric-litwin-and-james-dean","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=11068","title":{"rendered":"Review of Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons, by Eric Litwin and James Dean"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons<\/em><\/p>\n

story by Eric Litwin
\ncreated and illustrated by James Dean<\/p>\n

Harper, 2012. 36 pages.
\nStarred Review<\/p>\n

I’m afraid I resisted Pete the Cat<\/em> a little bit. Even after our brilliant Early Literacy Coordinator demonstrated reading the book at a Youth Services meeting. It clearly will make a good read aloud, but I found out about it right before I was laid off from the library, and I haven’t done a storytime since. The second Pete the Cat<\/em> book was Pete the Cat: Rocking in My School Shoes<\/em>, and it was good, too, but I still wasn’t won over.<\/p>\n

I was<\/em> convinced enough that I had to check out Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons<\/em>, and this time, yes, I’m completely a fan.<\/p>\n

It’s got the same ingredients as the others: Teaching simple concepts and a song that repeats to which kids are absolutely sure to sing along. This time, the concept is math! Huzzah!<\/p>\n

Here’s how the beginning goes:<\/p>\n

Pete the Cat put on his favorite shirt with four big, colorful, round, groovy buttons.
\nHe loved his buttons so much, he sang this song:<\/p>\n

“My buttons, my buttons,
\nmy four groovy buttons.
\nMy buttons, my buttons,
\nmy four groovy buttons.”<\/p>\n

POP!<\/p>\n

OH NO!<\/p>\n

One of the buttons popped off and rolled away.
\nHow many buttons are left?<\/p>\n

THREE
\n3
\n4 – 1 = 3<\/p>\n

Did Pete cry?
\nGoodness, no!
\nButtons come and buttons go.<\/p>\n

He kept on singing his song:
\n“My buttons, my buttons,
\nmy three groovy buttons….”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

You get the idea! It’s catchy, it’s got math, and it even teaches a lovely lesson in being content.<\/p>\n

Best of all, silly me, I was surprised at what Pete found after every single button had popped off! A simply perfect touch, and I should have seen it coming. It’s definitely all good!<\/p>\n

And the lesson at the end is one we will all do well to take to heart:<\/p>\n

I guess it simply goes to show that stuff will come and stuff will go.
\nBut do we cry?
\nGoodness, NO!
\nWe keep on singing.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

What better reminder than this catchy picture book?<\/p>\n

Keep on singing!<\/p>\n

petethecat.com<\/a>
\nericlitwin.com<\/a>
\nharpercollinschildrens.com\/petethecat<\/a><\/p>\n

Buy from Amazon.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Find this review on Sonderbooks<\/a> at: www.sonderbooks.com\/Picture_Books\/four_groovy_buttons.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate, and will earn a small percentage if you order a book on Amazon after clicking through from my site.<\/p>\n

Source: This review is based on a library book from the Fairfax County Public Library.<\/p>\n

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