The Panda Book Awards are a set of children’s literary prizes for international books, co-sponsored by beijingkids and awarded by readers across China. Read all about The Panda Book Awards here, and check out the weekly reviews on beijingkids here.
As co-host, beijingkids is offering an extra 20% discount on those books for our readers. This blog shows you how to use our code to get the discount and make cash-on-delivery purchase from Amazon.cn.
Reviewers: John Byrne, Teacher-Librarian at Western Academy of Beijing
Book: Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons (2012) by Eric Litwin
Category: Younger Readers (EC 3-Grade 2)
Byrne writes: "Pete the Cat and his Four Groovy Buttons is a clear hit with kids and adults alike. Eric Litwin’s cleverly crafted text draws on essential elements of rhyme, rhythm, repetition and call and response in order to bring the book to life! Of course, James Dean’s illustrations of the confident Pete the Cat are simply superb!
Early readers are drawn to it instantly as they become involved with the character of Pete and his conundrum: losing his four buttons!
What is especially delightful is that your child does not even have to be able to read to enjoy this book. Once you read aloud a couple of times, the text weaves its magic and sooner than later everyone is actively (visually and orally) involved in the story.
Litwin is able to include an added musical dimension to Pete’s story, as he does in each of the first four Pete the Cat stories. His music and lyrics are downloadable, for free at www.harpercollinschildrens.com/feature/petethecat, and provide the hook to the success of this picture book. Put the words to music and you have a hit.
Most appealing about all of Litwin’s Pete the Cat books is the enduring subtext: no matter what happens, you keep on going (in Pete’s case, "singing his song") because in the end "it’s all good".
How wonderful it has been to have Eric Litwin visit WAB recently and bring his stories to life…but more exciting was Eric’s encouragement and reassurance that each and every one of us can bring Pete to life! All we have to do…start reading, because it’s all good!"
Overview: Pete the Cat is wearing his favorite shirt—the one with the four totally groovy buttons. But when one falls off, does Pete cry? Goodness, no! He just keeps on singing his song—after all, what could be groovier than three groovy buttons? Count down with Pete in this rocking new story from the creators of the bestselling Pete the Cat books.
Publishers overview via Amazon.com
