Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes

Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes
Synopsis
Pete the Cat goes walking down the street wearing his brand-new white shoes. Along the way, his shoes change from white to red to blue to brown to WET as he steps in piles of strawberries, blueberries, and other big messes! But no matter what color his shoes are, Pete keeps movin' and groovin' and singing his song...because it's all good. Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes asks the reader questions about the colors of different foods and objects—kids love to interact with the story.
  • Virtue
    VIRTUE
    Is this the way I want my child to think and act?
    Ratings are based on how much a book extols Islamic morality and espouses classical ideals.
  • Language
    LANGUAGE
    Is this the way I want my child to speak?
    Ratings are based on a book's vocabulary, cadence, and overall eloquence suited to age level.
  • Story
    STORY
    Does this story resonate with my child?
    Ratings are based on the integrity of plot structure, the depth of characters, the palpability of the book's conflict and resolution, and the lure of its setting.
  • Beauty
    BEAUTY
    Does this book develop my child's ability to recognize beauty?
    Ratings are based on aesthetics, linguistic beauty, poignancy, and how well a book embodies ihsan—harmonizing excellence.
VIEW FLAGS
Mindful Muslim Review

A simple book with a tremendous message: stay positive. Your child will laugh along with Pete The Cat as he steps into “life’s messes” and comes out of them singing. A poignant metaphor on how the things we love in this world often get soiled by the difficulties of life, but we can show resilience by choosing to see the good in each situation. Perspective matters. It changes nothing yet everything at the same time. Sometimes the best way to show gratitude is through resilience—through the persistence of positive thinking.

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Teaching Tools
  • Did Pete the Cat feel sad when his new shoes became dirty?
  • Did Pete the Cat think his shoes were ruined?
  • Why does Pete The Cat love his shoes? Not because they are white, or red, or blue, or dry, but because they are useful in protecting his feet and allowing him to walk.
  • Discuss the difference between appreciating a blessing for its function rather than only its appearance.
  • The refrain of the story is: Pete loves his shoes.  What does it mean to love your possessions? Are we attached to them or do we appreciate them as a blessing from Allah ﷻ?
  • Discuss the following hadith: The Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever among you wakes up secure in his property, healthy in his body, and he has his food for the day, it is as if he were given the entire world” (Ibn Majah).
  • Allah ﷻ gives us so many blessings How can we stay grateful even when things don’t go our way?
  • Discuss the three ways to show gratitude: with your heart, with your words, and with your actions.
Ages: ,
Illustrator: James Dean
Published: 2010
Page Count: 40
ISBN13: 978-0061906220
*This review applies only to ISBN number noted above.

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