Book Review: Pete the Cat – I Love my White Shoes
We love children’s books. Also – and this should be no surprise – we love children’s books that get people singing. Oh! One more thing! If that children’s book teaches some really fantastic aspect of childhood development, well, that’s a home run. Dr. Boyle takes a peek at Pete the Cat – I Love my White Shoes, by author Eric Litwin with illustrations by James Dean (no, not that James Dean).
One Cool Cat
Meet Pete the Cat. If you don’t know him, you should. He’s the feline equivalent of the proverbial duck that let everything roll off its back. In 2008, he pounced out of the minds of Eric Litwin and James Dean into a self-published book. Within 10 months, the book was picked up by Harper Collins and has enjoyed a great deal of success in a rather crowded market. In my estimation, Pete’s a standout. Several books featuring this easy going blue furball have followed, and we’ll probably review a couple of them in the future. Today…is all about white shoes, singing, and executive function and self-regulation. Stay with me; this children’s book gets the concepts across beautifully.
White, Red, Blue, Brown…Just Change the Song
As Pete takes a stroll on a beautiful day, he wears his beloved white shoes. He loves them so much he sings a song about them – “I love my white shoes, I love my white shoes, I love my white shoes.” If you read this book, you have to sing that part. You know that, right? It’s a law – and the beautiful part is that there is absolutely no wrong way to sing it. You can sing it differently every time you read the book. You can make up a tune, or sing it to an existing melody. If you want to, you can download the song that Eric Litwin created – but I think it’s much more fun to make up your own silly tune. Litwin, James Dean, and friends in a live reading, complete with his White Shoes song! As Pete continues his walk, the first dramatic turn occurs. He steps in a mound of strawberries. His pristine white shoes, the source of his musical joy, are ruined! What’s a singing cat to do when faced with such frustration, such unexpected CATastrophe (these are the jokes, people)? Scream? Cry? Take his shoes off and throw them in the air?
Nope. Pete does none of that. He keeps his cool and just changes the words to his song.
A Cat who Gets Executive Function
So, now we see Pete for who he is: a cool cat with an understanding of executive function and self-regulation. How about some help from the folks at Harvard:
In the brain, the ability to hold onto and work with information, focus thinking, filter distractions, and switch gears is like an airport having a highly effective air traffic control system to manage the arrivals and departures of dozens of planes on multiple runways. Scientists refer to these capacities as executive function and self-regulation — a set of skills that relies on three types of brain function: working memory, mental flexibility, and self-control. Children aren’t born with these skills—they are born with the potential to develop them.
– InBrief: Executive Function – Center on the Developing Child: Harvard University
What do we see Pete do when faced with apparent disaster? He shifts gears and shifts his song, singing about the newly acquired color. This is a prime example of both executive function and self-regulation. He experiences, processes, and chooses to celebrate a new experience rather than mourn the loss of the old one.
This happens several times throughout Pete’s journey. He’s resilient, that one. And let’s be honest, you don’t have to be a kid to relate to this story. We’ve all been there. So – as you share Pete’s adventure to your kids, they’ll see a cat remaining calm in the face of adversity who comes out on top, making the choice to keep his composure and sing a new song. They’ll get it, they’ll relate, and it will help them develop those skills in their own developing self. Pete the Cat – I Love My White Shoes is a book that gives more to the reader than a cute story with beautiful illustrations. It gets us singing and thinking about how we respond to life’s giant piles of strawberries and puddles of mud. Plus, it’ll leave a smile on your face. You can get it through your favorite bookseller or online, and in several formats – hardback, paperback, and digital editions.
After reading this book, your little one might just ask herself, “What would Pete do?” the next time drama creeps into her life. I know that I already have.
