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Pete the Cat

Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes

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Don't miss the first and bestselling book in the beloved Pete the Cat series!

Pete the Cat goes walking down the street wearing his brand-new white shoes. Along the way, his shoes change from white to red to blue to brown to WET as he steps in piles of strawberries, blueberries, and other big messes!

But no matter what color his shoes are, Pete keeps movin' and groovin' and singing his song...because it's all good. Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes asks the reader questions about the colors of different foods and objects—kids love to interact with the story.

The fun never stops—download the free groovin’ song.

 

40 pages, Hardcover

First published March 2, 2010

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About the author

Eric Litwin

31 books259 followers
Eric Litwin (Mr. Eric) is a guitar strumming, book writing, harmonica blowing, song singing, folksy, fun type of guy. He is the # 1 New York Times Best Selling author of the first four Pete the Cat picture books and the author of the new musical series The Nuts. Eric's books have sold over 1.5 million copies, been translated into seven languages and won 15 state and national awards including a Theodor Geisel Seuss Honor Award. He has also recorded award winning music CDs. Eric is a popular performing artist who plays guitar, sings, tells musical stories and brings books to life. He is also a nationally respected keynote speaker on interactive literacy and music. Eric is the co-creator of The Learning Groove which offers parent and child music classes and preschool music curriculum. Eric likes music, books and coffee.

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5 stars
35,898 (62%)
4 stars
11,606 (20%)
3 stars
6,271 (10%)
2 stars
2,150 (3%)
1 star
1,887 (3%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,361 reviews
Profile Image for Mischenko.
1,021 reviews96 followers
February 11, 2021
Here’s a totally groovy Pete the Cat story about his white shoes. Cute and colorful book for young Pete the Cat fans.
Profile Image for Emily May.
2,090 reviews314k followers
January 16, 2020
I got this for my son, but I'm not gonna lie-- Pete the Cat's philosophy on life really speaks to me too 😂
Profile Image for Tim.
477 reviews787 followers
January 23, 2021
The first Pete the Cat book is a little different from most in the series. Pete looks different (more like a regular cat), none of his friends are around a proportions seem a little all off (even my daughter asked "Why are his feet so big?!?").

All the stories are simplistic, but this one a little more so. Pete loves his white shoes, but whenever he steps in something it changes the color, but he still loves the shoes either way.

My daughter liked it well enough for a read, but personally I didn't find this as charming at the later when when James Dean took more control (this one was written by Eric Litwin, with Dean only doing artwork). It's fine and worth a story time, but not one I bought for her collection and most notably, not one she is interested in owning. 2/5 stars.
October 27, 2020
I wasn’t sure what we were going to get with this Pete the Cat. (All are not written by the same author.)

This has been a big hit with our three year old. She and I have read it many times and she loves that the shoes keep changing colors. She knows the story well enough that when I pause, she will fill in the word or phrase.

Pete sings his song about loving his shoes (for which I made up a tune) and we sing it together. I am not sure that she gets the entire morale of the story: “No matter what you step in, keep walking along and singing your song…” But, I’m (just like Pete) okay with that.

It’s still such a pleasure to read with her that I have to give it full marks.

------------------- Goodreads seems to be having problems today but I will try to add this postscript

We are still going strong with this book, but now her 6 year old sister has taken over the reading chores. Hearing her read it to her sister (and me) is a further delight
Profile Image for Tina Loves To Read.
2,859 reviews1 follower
August 6, 2022
I have to say this is one of my favorite children's book. I have read this book several times to my twin boys. My Autistic son really loves this book. It teaches just to let things go with teaching colors. Very cool cute pictures.

Since reading this book I think about it every time I take my kids back to school shoe shopping.
Profile Image for Trudi.
615 reviews1,663 followers
September 18, 2013
The moral of Pete's story is: No matter what you step in, keep walking along and singing your song....because it's all good.
I'm now convinced that Pete is a hippie, who spends the majority of his time high as a kite. He's just figured out another way of saying "Don't sweat the small stuff" but for the kiddies. Not as groovin' as His Four Groovy Buttons, but still a must for Pete the Cat fans.
Profile Image for Julie.
2,218 reviews35 followers
August 30, 2022
A cute story about keeping a good attitude while adjusting to changing circumstances. I loved the use of color.
Profile Image for Marya.
1,410 reviews
November 15, 2010
If cool jazz wrote a children's book, this is it. Despite getting his brand new shoes in a variety of stain situations that would challenge a Tide commercial, Pete the Cat keeps "walking along and singing his song, because it's all good".
One reviewer felt that this book does not teach children appropriate problem solving skills. I disagree. I think chilling out is certainly something I want my child to learn. So your sippy cup doesn't get instantaneously refilled? So Mommy won't let you play with the suffocating plastic bag? So you have to stop wearing diapers and be potty trained? Don't throw a fit! Keep walking along and singing your song because it's all good.
And since it's impossible to teach this lesson without cool jazz, the book includes a downloadable version of the author reading the book and singing Pete's songs with musical accompaniment. You can even purchase Pete the plushie from the Atlanta artist who created him! It might not be for squares, but all you hip cats out there will love Pete.
Profile Image for debbicat *made of stardust*.
804 reviews117 followers
August 25, 2018
Just so dang cute! Read it with preschoolers today. We loved singing the song. Pete is super cool. He just doesn’t sweat stuff and it is a good reminder for us all to do the same. He has new white shoes. He steps in red strawberries but it’s all good. No worries about those white shoes looking red now. More mishaps. But he does not worry. LOVE IT! He is one cool cat. Highly recommended!
Profile Image for Mari.
443 reviews29 followers
August 4, 2012
I can't wait to use this book with a group of kids! It has a wide range of appeal (good for younger and older storytime groups) and has lots of opportunities for audience participation. You can sing with Pete, guess what color his shoes will turn based on what he steps in, and have the kids join in on the "goodness no!" refrain. What fun! You can even check the publisher's website to hear the story and find out how the author sings Pete's song.
Profile Image for Rossy.
368 reviews14 followers
January 8, 2015
"The moral of Pete's story is: No matter what you step in, keep walking along and singing your song... because it's all good."

I think Pete is a really cool cat -_- He enjoys his walk (his life?) no matter what! And his shoes are cute, too :p
Profile Image for Mya.
1,495 reviews56 followers
December 24, 2018
The end of the story really brought the story together.
Profile Image for Sarah.
183 reviews11 followers
August 6, 2010
My latest storytime discovery combines my two loves: a positive attitude and, well, shoes. Pretty genius!

Meet this happy go-lucky cat out for a stroll in his brand new white shoes when he happens to step in a huge pile of strawberries! "What color did it turn his shoes?"

Shoe transformation occurs three more times with varying slants (and oddly enough, another mountain of fruit) but each time, "Did Pete cry?" "Goodness, no! He kept walking along and singing his song."

Pete's song, "I love my ________ shoes," repeated three times, invites audience participation along with the direct, reoccurring questions above. The rustic, colorful illustrations capture the casual, go with the flow nature of this zen cat whose expression remains the same throughout the story. The moral is clearly stated at the end: "no matter what you step in, keep walking along and singing your song... because it's all good."

Whether children will note the lesson of this big picture perspective and find beauty in their own mistakes is questionable, but also beside the point when the story is so enjoyable.

Thank you to my amazing co-worker Rebecca for sharing the book with me!
Profile Image for midnightfaerie.
2,126 reviews123 followers
February 4, 2013
Pete the Cat books rock. Didn't know anything about them, until I saw a Pete the Cat class at my local library for my K-5 grade and signed him up. Then I checked out some of the books, to see if he'd like them. Not only did he love them, but my 2 yr old twins do as well. He's laid back, cool, and groovy with beautiful and colorful illustration. All three of my kids love finding the yellow bird that follows him around on every page. (Makes me think of my Richard Scary books I had as a kid where I was always looking for Goldbug) On top of great stories, there are parts of each story that's a song that's repeated. I just make up the tune, but if you'd like to hear the actual song, each book has an audio and video file on the Harper Collins Children's website. Along with fun things to do and games, the additional website makes Pete the Cat very appealing to my 5 yr old. We're both looking forward to the library class, and I've already reserved the rest of the books at our library.

This one is about the different things Pete steps in that changes the color of his shoes. Great fun! Highly recommended!
Profile Image for Paula.
Author 2 books238 followers
March 11, 2010
Think of the blue dog - those stupid paintings from the Clinton era, which I think that guy is still doing - and then make them cool, not creepy, and of a self-assured cat rather than a freaked-out dog, and you have a starting point for visualizing the powder-coated apehanger-handlebar simple authentic genius of Pete The Cat.

DO I HYPERBOLIZE? NO I DO NOT.

Full review on Pink Me: http://pinkme.typepad.com/pink-me/201...
Profile Image for Erica.
819 reviews10 followers
May 24, 2011
What an absolutely fun book! I'd read it once before then I tried it out on a friend's 3 1/2-year-old this weekend and he loved it! We sang Pete's song and he was grooving to the beat. He loved telling us what color Pete's shoes were going to be next.

In three days between me, my husband and the kid's parents this book was read a total of about 9 times with 3 of those times being me.

Definitely a keeper!
Profile Image for Ana.
355 reviews
March 31, 2019
Read this one (in Spanish) during my library's preschool storytime and sang its accompanying song in English which I think the kiddos really enjoyed. While they were able to follow along with the story with the aid of the book's illustrations, I definitely think next time around, I'll try to make it a more bilingual experience by translating more of the text as I'm reading it out loud.
Profile Image for Rose.
118 reviews
March 4, 2020
As soon as I read this book for the first time I knew it was perfect. Just the level of my daughters’ engagement and excitement was enough to know this was a winner.
Profile Image for Tyler Jones.
1,748 reviews93 followers
May 1, 2012
This is a great book to read to a larger group of kids for several reasons. The pictures are big and therefore easy for all the kids to see. The story is repetative, so it's easy for you to memorize so you don't actually need to read it as you go. The kids love to participate by singing, walking along, and answering the questions - which makes it a great book to re-focus the kids if they get too squirmy.

I'd give it five stars but I'm slightly uneasy about the stoic philosophy this book promotes. Don't get me wrong - I'm a big fan of Epictetus, but the moral; "No matter what you step in...it's all good" is too close for comfort to the "all is for the best, in the best of all possible worlds" that Voltaire ridicules. Is this philosophically lazy message really what we want to teach our young 'uns? Pete the cat seems more like Pangloss the cat to me.

Otherwise, it's all good.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Julie Carpenter.
1,636 reviews201 followers
January 1, 2018
This is a favorite bed time, story time or any time book to read in our house. We love Pete the Cat and absolutely love to sing along with his groovy songs. His easy going attitude is great and makes a fun character for kids of all ages to read.

I'll just keeping walking along and singing my song...

I can't tell you how many times we've read this but I don't think it'll get old. The best part is I love listening to my youngest read it out loud now that she's figured out this reading by herself thing. I love having her read me the stories now. Story time is the best!!!

Happy Reading!!!
Profile Image for Amanda.
3,870 reviews41 followers
February 17, 2018
Happy National Cat Day! I've read this a BILLION TIMES! I've played the song--you can download it online--of Mr. Eric performing this a bazillion times. Cannot believe I've never reviewed this before though. This is solid gold; every kid loves this and every adult loves this and will start singing along by the second round if you invite them. It's brilliant! This is Pete the Cat at his BEST before commercialization struck and everything started going all. down. hill. and things got really creepy and yucky. *sigh*

There are only a few--very few--Pete the Cat books that are worth ANYTHING and those are the classic, beginning Petes. Everything else, BEWARE OF! Creepster ALERT.
Profile Image for Kandice.
343 reviews
April 29, 2014
A cute story about Pete the Cat who enjoys walking in his brand new white shoes. Unfortunately, they don't remain white as Pete keeps stepping into piles of fruit and puddles. But does Pete cry? Goodness, no! He just keeps walking along and singing his song.

The Pete the Cat series is one of Mackers' favourites.
Profile Image for Erma Talamante.
Author 1 book64 followers
January 20, 2016
Full review pending...

Read at Barnes & Nobles' storytime...

Pete is a funky little cat with a cool, laid-back attitude. Nothing gets to him as he keeps on singing!
Profile Image for Aya Abed.
6 reviews45 followers
December 11, 2016
No matter what you step in,
keep walking along and
singing your song...... :))
Profile Image for Chaitra.
160 reviews
June 5, 2021
Pete teaches you to take the life as it comes since there's always something that's appreciable about it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,361 reviews

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