Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Best Kid/Adult Book Ever!

The Headlines:

Good Children's books are hard to find.

This is my favorite children's book, ever.

The story is fun, the message is clear.

It's appropriate for 4 year olds and 44 year olds!

You MUST get it!


As One Picky Chick, it's really hard to find a good kid book these days.  Have you tried? I sit in the book store for way too long looking for one and often come up empty handed.  So when I went to my daughter's school book sale earlier this year and found a book that blew me away… I was pleasantly surprised!  Now, don't get me wrong, there are a few good books out there: I love You Forever, The Night You Were Born, Wherever You Are, Rainbow Fish… some even bring tears to my eyes but few combine so many elements like this one.  It is

Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons
Written by Eric Litwin
Art & Creator James Dean



Everything about this book is spot on. It has it all, especially for 3-6 year olds:

  1. Good story line: Pete the Cat loses his buttons, one by one, off his shirt until he has no more buttons.  But in the end it's okay because he still has his belly button.  
  2. Fun, sing song read: "My buttons, my buttons, my 4 groovy buttons!"
  3. A math element.  Each button he loses, he counts it down.
  4. Perhaps the most important to me, it has a heartwarming message:  "stuff will come and stuff will go but you just keep singing!"


It's a book that's meant for children but it's a message that pertains to us all.  Frankly, it's a message not many of us receive.  And we're adults!

Not to get all religious on you but I went to church this morning (as I write this, it's a Sunday) and the Pastor's sermon was entitled "When the game is over, it all goes back in the box."  His point being when you die, you can't take it with you.  The temporary is everything.  Like Pete's buttons.  The permanent is us.  At least, our souls, if you believe in God.  If you don't then the former is even more true… temporary is everything, including us.  So, why sweat the small stuff?  Pete's button falls off and he just keeps singing his song.  Your IPhone breaks and while it's a bummer - I get it - you have to buy a new one but there are worse things.  Just keep singing.  A lesson we could all (re)learn.  

For the record, I have read numerous other "Pete the Cat" books and they pale in comparison to this one.  There's a whole series of them, a few are "sing-songy" like this one but still not that great and the rest are just plain boring.  I'm not sure why… maybe greatness only strikes once.   

Whatever the case, for now every birthday party my 3 year old goes to… that birthday boy will be getting a "Pete the Cat and His 4 Groovy Buttons" book.  For that matter, I may even give it to a few adults along the way.  Maybe a hostess gift here and there?  Like I said, it's a lesson for us all!

Last thing,  if you want to BUY the book you can do so here:

Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons

Or, if you want to hear the book - just check out this video of myself, my son and my daughter all reading it together.  I warn you… it's not Emmy Award winning.  But it is cute!  First You Tube video I, or we've, ever done…  enjoy!  













1 comment

  1. I will have to check out this book... and so awesome that you did a video!! I have been trying to think of ways to start adding videos, but I dont think I am ready yet! ;)

    ReplyDelete

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