View source for Pete the Cat Rocking in My School Shoes by Eric Litwin and James Dean

{{infobox1
|title=Pete the Cat Rocking in My School Shoes
|author=Eric Litwin and James Dean
|reviewer=Rachael Spencer
|genre=For Sharing
|rating=5
|buy=Yes
|borrow=Yes
|isbn=9780007553655
|pages=40
|publisher=Harper Collins Children's Books
|date=January 2015
|summary=Pete the Cat returns in yet another brilliantly fun but equally important life lesson told with great illustrations and even another song to help illustrate the point! A perfect book for preschoolers who might be a little nervous about starting school, and a great way for adults to help settle those nerves. Another triumph for the Pete the Cat team.
|cover=000755365X
|aznuk=000755365X
|aznus=000755365X
}}
My love of Pete the Cat is well documented here at The Bookbag, as I’ve previously reviewed two of his adventures. This latest title, Pete the Cat Rocking in My School Shoes hasn’t let me down, and I think it’s great. Pete is going to school, which can be a bit scary, especially when you’re having to do lots of new things, like go to the library or eat in the lunch room. Is Pete scared? Goodness no, he’s rocking, reading and eating in his school shoes.

As ever, Pete isn’t only fun to read but also underlined with a really excellent and important message. Where his [[Pete the Cat and His four Groovy Buttons by Eric Litwin and James Dean|four groovy buttons]] taught us not to cry over material things, this book shows us how being yourself and being confident makes things which seem scary not quite so bad. I love how this character manages to give these life lessons without being patronising to the audience, in fact remaining a real cool dude throughout. 

The illustrations are as good as ever, fun, bright and engaging for anyone reading, this series really does hit its target audience brilliantly by combining fun and education together faultlessly. The songs in these books really work to help bring it all together and give an added layer of entertainment. The great thing about these books is that you can see, as an adult reading, what the authors are trying to achieve, and I really appreciate their messages as a parent. These books are about helping to create kids who are at ease with themselves and the world around them, which is often a scary place (not just for kids!) and so I have to tip my hat to them for that.

I can see this book being used in nurseries and primary schools as children transition into school, and I know I will be able to use it to talk to my son about starting school. If you haven’t encountered Pete the Cat yet, I can’t recommend him highly enough. Borrow it or buy it, but I really would give him a go - him and his songs are a constant source of pleasure in our house, and I imagine will be for a long time to come!

If you haven't met Pete before, then you should certainly take a look at [[Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons by Eric Litwin and James Dean|Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons]], but if you're looking for different books on starting school then how about giving [[I Don't Want To Go To School by Stephanie Blake]] a go?

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[[Category:Eric Litwin]]
[[Category:James Dean]]