Why I love Pete's white shoes

Instead of coughing up fur balls and sleeping, Pete the Cat goes out for a leisurely stroll in his spanking new white shoes. I can't even imagine trying to get shoes onto my cat, never mind how miffed she'd be if she stepped into some of the things Pete does. But, Pete is so unflappable in his latest book, I Love My White Shoes, I found myself trying to figure out how to achieve his level of zen.

I knew I'd love this book pretty much from the start, mainly because James Dean's (no relation) illustrations of Pete are just so adorably expressive. Even with big yellow eyes, blue fur, and a slinky tail, Pete looks perfectly natural holding a cup of coffee, a banjo or an umbrella--an oddity that had my kids in stitches.

This book would've become one of our favorite bedtime stories just on its own. But, with the enclosed music CD read by author Eric Litwin, we are addicted to it and now walk around singing "I love my white shoes" day and night. The CD oozes cool with a funky beat, and I find myself copying Eric's smooth cadence and folksy twang when it's my turn to read.

Pete is one wise cat, and his message for us all is to chill out and go with the flow a bit more. I think just about every toddler, or parent, can stand to hear that message more often. -Kristen