October 1, 2020

PreS-Gr 2-Pete uses his groovy crayons to draw a variety of objects, eventually deciding to make portraits of his friends. When Pete proudly presents his drawings to Grumpy Toad and Gus, they react with negative criticism. With his trademark optimism, Pete declares "Hey, no sweat. That's alright!" and moves on to the next friend until he reaches Callie. When Callie also criticizes his work, Pete admits defeat and frowns. With a quick cut to art class, we see that Pete is now so discouraged and "afraid of making a mistake" that he won't even pick up his crayons. His previously critical friends cheer him up by saying his art is cool and unique, and encourage him to draw again. When he tries again, his friends celebrate his "rockin' masterpiece" showing them all having fun and all agree that "the best art comes from the heart." The distinctive illustrations of Pete will be satisfying to fans, even as they are sometimes disconnected from the meaning of the text. For example, when Pete "started to frown" and "put his crayons down" the crayons are not pictured anywhere in the scene. The abrupt shift to art class may take some readers by surprise who didn't notice the classic schoolhouse in the background. The moral of the story is undermined slightly by the fact that Pete's initial rejected portraits were clearly also "from the heart." VERDICT With dynamic illustrations of the rockin' crayons, Pete fans are likely to enjoy this well-intentioned story about making art your own way. A solid purchase where Pete is cool.-Amanda Foulk, Sacramento P.L.

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 27, 2011
In his previous outing, blue cat Pete proved his ability to roll with the punches when his white sneakers were accidentally stained red. Sporting the red treads for the first day of school (they match his electric guitar), Pete is again unflappable. "Pete has never been to the library before! Does Pete worry? Goodness, no! He finds his favorite book and sings his song." School setting aside, little differentiates this book from its predecessor. There's humor to be found in the deadpan expressions of Pete and his fellow cats as he sits with friends in the lunchroom, plays at recess, and solves math problems on the board. But whether the simple refrain and Pete's blasé attitude actually assuage anxious schoolgoers is another story. Pete's song is available as a download. Ages 3–7.

October 14, 2013
Appropriately enough, Pete’s latest includes some valentines for readers: a large foldout poster, a sheet of stickers, and 12 punch-out cards. In the accompanying story, Pete starts out as a skeptic: “Valentine’s Day is not cool,” he tells his friend Callie. She responds that it’s her favorite holiday, and Pete needs no more convincing than that—as soon as he gets home, he starts making homemade cards. By book’s end, Pete has distributed valentines throughout his community; he forgets about Callie, but she’s understanding: “Hanging out with you... that’s way better than any card.” Just like Pete skateboards his way through town, he slides through these minor Valentine’s Day dramas effortlessly. Ages 4–8.

February 17, 2014
Pete the cat’s yellow, dead-eyed stare is always good for a laugh, and it’s even better when he’s wearing big white bunny ears, a buck-toothed rabbit snout, and a puffy white tail. It’s all in a day’s work for Pete after he agrees to lend the Easter Bunny a hand (“Find the eggs. Paint the eggs. Hide the eggs,” reads the note Pete discovers in his otherwise empty Easter basket). The story itself is quite thin—after painting the eggs, Pete quickly hides them and receives a “#1 Helper” ribbon from the Easter Bunny himself for his efforts (“Helping others can be lots of fun!” reads the tacked-on closing message). Readers are more likely to be drawn in by all the extras tucked into the pages, which include stickers, a foldout poster, and a dozen perforated Easter cards that can be removed and given away. Ages 4–8.

A solid purchase where Pete is cool. — School Library Journal