Pete the Kitty's First Day of Preschool

by James Dean, Kimberly Dean

Overview

Pete the Kitty is almost ready for his first day of preschool! Preschoolers and little ones getting ready to go to preschool for the first time will enjoy cheering Pete the Kitty's fun entry to preschool.

It's a big day for Pete the Kitty: his first day of preschool! He meets his cool teacher, sings a few fun songs, and even gets to paint. Who knew preschool could be so much fun?

Just don't forget your groovy backpack and your yummy snack, Pete the Kitty!

Little ones will enjoy exploring what the first day of school is like with Pete the Kitty.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062435828
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	06/18/2019
Series:	James Dean's Pete the Cat Series
Pages:	24
Sales rank:	41,380
Product dimensions:	6.90(w) x 6.90(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	18 Months to 3 Years

About the Author

James Dean is the original creator and illustrator of Pete the Cat. He is a self-taught artist originally from Fort Payne, Alabama. His passion for drawing became apparent at a young age, and as a child, you could find James drawing his favorite characters like Snoopy and Yogi Bear. 

James earned his degree in electrical engineering from Auburn University and went on to work for Georgia Power for a number of years. Eventually, he was called to pursue his art full-time and began selling his work at art festivals around the Southeast. 

It was during this time that he began creating paintings and drawing of his cat, Pete. The little blue cat showed up as a character in James’s artwork around 1999 and has been a permanent fixture ever since. 

James Dean’s art has been sold in more than ninety galleries and shops across the United States. He has devoted his paintings to Pete the Cat for fifteen years and turned his natural love for cats into his life’s work. James published his first book, The Misadventures of Pete the Cat, a history of his artwork, in 2006, and he illustrated his first self-published children’s book, Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes, in 2008. There are now almost 100 published Pete the Cat titles with more coming out all the time.

James is humbled every day by the success that this groovy blue cat has brought him. He says positively affecting children’s lives is his number one priority, and he is grateful to have such an amazing audience to work for. 

James Dean is the original creator and illustrator of Pete the Cat. He is a self-taught artist originally from Fort Payne, Alabama. His passion for drawing became apparent at a young age, and as a child, you could find James drawing his favorite characters like Snoopy and Yogi Bear. 

James earned his degree in electrical engineering from Auburn University and went on to work for Georgia Power for a number of years. Eventually, he was called to pursue his art full-time and began selling his work at art festivals around the Southeast. 

It was during this time that he began creating paintings and drawing of his cat, Pete. The little blue cat showed up as a character in James’s artwork around 1999 and has been a permanent fixture ever since. 

James Dean’s art has been sold in more than ninety galleries and shops across the United States. He has devoted his paintings to Pete the Cat for fifteen years and turned his natural love for cats into his life’s work. James published his first book, The Misadventures of Pete the Cat, a history of his artwork, in 2006, and he illustrated his first self-published children’s book, Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes, in 2008. There are now almost 100 published Pete the Cat titles with more coming out all the time.

James is humbled every day by the success that this groovy blue cat has brought him. He says positively affecting children’s lives is his number one priority, and he is grateful to have such an amazing audience to work for. 

Kimberly Dean is a children’s author, artist, and yoga enthusiast best known as a NYT bestselling author and co-parent of children’s book character Pete the Cat. Before fulfilling her dream of becoming a full-time author and artist, she worked for the State of Georgia, leaving the Governor’s Press Office in 1998 to pursue her art. 

She began selling her work at art festivals in 1999 and opened a small art gallery in 2003. She dabbles in multiple mediums and enjoys experimenting with new styles and techniques. She says of her job, “I love what I do!  Work is like going to kindergarten everyday!”

 In 2004, she began collaborating with fellow artist James Dean to create children’s books about Pete the Cat. The Misadventures of Pete the Cat, a coffee table book of James’s art, was released in 2006. Her dreams of becoming a published children’s book author became a reality in 2013 with the release of her first children’s book, Pete the Cat and His Magic Sunglasses. She has now written many of the Pete the Cat books, as well as started another series starring her own characters Willow and Oliver.

Kimberly lives in Savannah with her dog, Gypsy, and cat, Phoebe. Her children and grandchildren live nearby, and her favorite word is “Lovie,” which is the name her grandchildren lovingly call her.

Editorial Reviews

08/01/2019

Toddler-PreS–Pete the Kitty—a preschool spin-off of the popular button-popping, shoe-soiling cat—licks his first day of school with style. What should he take to school? Pencils, paintbrush, and a groovy rocket backpack he picked out himself. Pete knows what to do when he gets on the bus. His brother asks: "'Are you nervous?' 'No,' says Pete. 'I'm cool.'" At school, Pete loves reading, singing, and painting. When it's time to go home, Pete doesn't want to leave. Pete loves preschool. Flat illustrations are the Deans' signature style. Vibrant colors draw attention, while the irregular fill and thin black outlines feel relaxed and childlike. Big-eyed Pete and his classmates look similar to the popular big-eye plushies. The illustrated content clearly matches the narrated text. The text reads like a voice-over and describes the action and Pete's own thoughts and feelings. Tots headed for their first day of preschool will find this straightforward approach accessible and encouraging. Pete is confident on his first day and embarks with a can-do attitude. While touching only briefly on the activities a new preschooler may encounter, Pete's mind-set is one for youngsters to emulate. VERDICT This title is an excellent choice for a new crop of Pete the Cat fans to appreciate.—Richelle Rose, Kenton County Public Library, KY

School Library Journal

2019-07-24
The popular character enjoys storytime, painting, and a snack on the very first day of preschool.

The younger incarnation of Pete the Cat packs his backpack that he picked out from the store himself, gets a snack from his mom, and rides the school bus with his big brother, Bob (who isn't much bigger than Pete, sizewise). At school, Pete meets his stylish teacher, Mrs. Lopez, and fellow feline classmates while keeping his signature cool. The day ends with Pete declaring: "Preschool is awesome! Pete loves everything!" James Dean's big-eyed cats populate the simply drawn scenes that look as though they were painted in preschool-esque fashion with thick swaths of tempera. At a couple of moments (when he eats his banana and declares it tasty and when he sings along) his customarily expressionless face actually breaks into a smile. Kimberly Dean's text is uninspired, but it's in sync with the upbeat tone of the series. Pete's preschool experience, while not particularly realistic, is a highly positive one; refreshingly, there is no trace of the separation anxiety or anxiousness found in many first-day-of-school books.

Likely to be popular with young Pete the Cat fans and parents seeking a gentle introduction to preschool. (Board book. 2-4)

Kirkus Reviews