Pete the Cat: The Wheels on the Bus

I read Pete the Cat: The Wheels on the Bus by James Dean
I read it in Target
4 1/2 stars rounded up to 5

I do a sing along at the library where I work. Every week I read a book or two to break up the half hour of songs. Usually, I try to find books that are also songs. The Pete the Cat series is my favorite. While I am eagerly awaiting the next installment of amazing Pete books, I saw what appeared to be a mini series coming out of familiar songs. This was pretty much what I hoped for, a retelling of The Wheels on the Bus with Pete the Cat charm. Sometimes I have a group of older kids, and this will be great for them. Sometimes my group includes quite a few two-year-olds. When the group is younger, I will be able to skip a few pages to make the book shorter without affecting the flow.

Here we have a familiar song with a twist. The kids like books they can sign along to, and they also like Pete the Cat. I haven't had a chance to read this one to the group yet, but it is the perfect mix of what they like. It starts with normal verses with charming Pete pictures. Then it moves to some verses I haven't heard, like the motor. Then Pete and the kitties get involved. The kitties on the bus say "Come on Pete" or "Let's rock out!" Then there is the lone dog on the bus, with the kitties looking at him like he really shouldn't be there. That's my favorite picture.

I really hope that there are more of these familiar songs with a Pete twist. They are the perfect addition to my collection of songs to read for sing along as well as preschool story times. If you want an original Pete the Cat book like the fabulous series, you have a little longer to wait. Pete the Cat and His Magic Sunglasses comes out in October!) If your child just can't get enough Pete the Cat and wants a familiar song to sign and giggle to, this is a winner!