Fuse 8 n’ Kate: Pete the Cat – I Love My White Shoes by James Dean

Kate gave me a challenge to go out and find a picture book that the two of us hadn’t read. And in the end . . . I completely and utterly failed to do what she’d requested. I decided to do Pete instead. So it goes.

With this entry, Kate makes a VERY strong case for why this book missed an opportunity involving the color wheel. After she points it out to me, I exclaim, “This could have been Color Kittens: Part Two!” Just a hat tip to the Provensens there. Kate also points out that the actual moral of this story is, “Watch where you step.” Meanwhile, I get to riff on James Dean the actor (if he were ever to make a picture book), Kate tells me that hedgehogs are super smelly (who knew?), and we dive deep into Pete’s confusing lineage.

Listen to the whole show here on Soundcloud or download it through iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, PlayerFM, or your preferred method of podcast selection.

• Here is Eric Litwin’s interview with Line Up the Books. I found the most information about the man here. Interesting that though he’s been so hugely successful, there aren’t that many interviews with him out there in the world.
• How do you sing this song? Here’s how Litwin would do it:

• Where are your other two shoes, Pete? Where’d they go, buddy?

• “The bird, literally, has no point.”

• Kate’s tattoo selection returns! I forgot about her deep and abiding love of the kitties. So here’s the Pete that looks kittenish to her.

• In real life, “The length of a cat’s whiskers are as wide as its body.” Cat’s whiskers are to Kate as improperly held knitting needles in picture books are to me.

• Here’s the Pete the Cat website in case you want to check out all those Pete videos.
• And here’s the Pete the Cat television show. You know you’re curious. Behold the trailer. Is it just me or is it really painful to watch anytime you see Pete’s mouth? Plus I miss the messiness of the original art here. Seems like a lost opportunity.

Filed under: Fuse 8 n' Kate