Pete the Cat Five Little Pumpkins

Reviewed by: Sheila Dube - Springvale Public Library, Springvale, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: September 24, 2015

Review

In time for Halloween, Pete the Cat provides us a cartooned, understated silly version of "Five Little Pumpkins". Just what readers come to expect from Pete the Cat. Pete the Cat, a big-eyed yellow birdie companion who mimics what Pete is doing and five jolly jack-o-lanterns provide the slapstick. The text is one sentence per page of the standard preschool counting classic "Five Little Pumpkins". Of course, Pete the Cat's version will make the story time crowd break out in giggles as he pulls out his big wrist watch for "it' s getting late", a frog in blue shades and accompanying witches hat flies him around on a broom chopper for "witches in the air" and he "run and run and run[s]" in his red school shoes. There is no scariness here when "out went the lights" because the five pumpkin's bright yellow faces and Pete's yellow eyes glow on the blue painted background. Pete the Cat displays his robo-cat costume as the pumpkins "rolled out of sight" on skateboards! Although this will be a good edition to library holiday collections focused on the younger reader, the binding is just glued and there is no book jacket. Be prepared to repair due to the popularity of Pete the Cat.

Overall Book Score: good