Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Pete the Cat: Play Ball! by James Dean -- ADVISABLE

Dean, James Pete the Cat: Play Ball! 32 pgs. HarperCollins, Feb. 2013. $3.99.

When Pete the Cat's baseball team, The Rocks, plays against The Rolls, he discovers that he's not exactly the best baseball player. He strikes out, drops a fly, and throws the ball right over another teammate's head. Still, Pete is not sad because he did his best.

A cute read about an easy-going cat who enjoys playing baseball for the fun of it, and not just to win. I did find it frustrating that he was so hopeless and never got any better -- his poor teammates! -- but his attitude was refreshing, and many sports-loving kids will find the topic and accessible text appealing.

Please note: Although this book is billed as an early reader, the fine print calls it a "My First Shared Reading" book and suggests that adults share it with emergent readers. Also, those who expect this to be like the previous Pete the Cat books, with the rhythm and the music, may be in for a disappointment, as the original author has moved on. As a standalone book, however, it's a fun story.

Pre-K, El (K-3) -- ADVISABLE. Reviewed by: Caryn

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