Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons (Pete the Cat)

In his fourth picture book, Pete the Cat loves (and sings about) the buttons on his yellow shirt, but when they pop off one by one, he doesn't freak out: "Did Pete cry? Goodness, no! Buttons come and buttons go." In bold, primary colors, the number of buttons remaining on the shirt appears at left, both as a numeral and written out, and the diminishing buttons are represented in basic equations (3-1=2). Even after all his buttons are gone, Pete takes it as a cue to go surfing. Readers who need a reminder not to sweat the small stuff will find a model of unflappability in Pete. Ages 3-7. (May)

K-Gr 1--Pete loves his special shirt so much that he just has to sing about it all the time: "My buttons, my buttons, /my four groovy buttons. My buttons, my buttons, my four groovy buttons." It's not one of those songs that will repeat itself in children's heads throughout the day. In fact, it is boring. And, it is a large part of the text. As each button pops off, the song changes to adjust to the number left. The question is asked, "Did Pete cry?/Goodness, no./Buttons come and buttons go." The text is slim and repetitive, and the math problems are very simplistic. The text just does not hold readers' interest, but the illustrations are charming and humorous, with a hint of Chris Raschka's pen and gouache style. The blue-black cat has huge eyes and a deadpan expression as he sits on a skateboard, or a surfboard, while buttons fall off his shirt. No matter what, he maintains a reason to sing. When all the buttons are gone, he remembers he still has a button to sing about: his belly button. Not a first choice.--Mary Hazelton, Elementary Schools in Union, Washington & Waldoboro, ME