Pete the Cat, the star of more than 60 children’s books by authors James Dean and Eric Litwin, is coming to visit with Petal children for three upcoming EXCELebrate Readiness by Reading events.
During the free events, which are hosted by Petal Excel By 5, Pete the Cat – along with a different guest reader at every stop – will read to children, and every preschool-aged child will receive a free book.
“Encouraging reading is our main goal,” said Mary Cirino, who serves as coordinator for Parents and Teachers at the Coleman Center for Families and Children, which is part of the Petal School District. “What we realized is that the earlier children become aware of reading – being read to aloud by their parents – it strengthens the chances that they will be a reader themselves.
The first EXELebrate Readiness by Reading event will be held at 10:30 a.m. July 29 at Petal First Baptist Church, during the annual Petal Family Health & Resource Fair. A second reading will be held at 1:30 that day. Matt Dillon, superintendent of the Petal School District, will be the guest reader for that event.
The second event will be held at 10 a.m. July 30 at Petal Fire Department Station No. 1 at 102 Fairchild Dr., followed by the third event at 6 p.m. that evening at Zaxby’s Chicken Fingers & Buffalo Wings, 1122 Evelyn Gandy Parkway.
The fifth reading will take place at 3 p.m. July 31 at the Petal Corner Market, 116 South Main St., followed by the final event at 6 p.m. that evening at McAlister’s, 1140 Evelyn Gandy Parkway, Suite 10.
Kids under 5 years old can eat free at both the Zaxby’s and McAlister’s events.
“Of course, we want every child being read to on a daily basis and promoting it in workplaces and unusual places like the fire station and Corner Market,” Cirino said. “It brings attention to books.”
The first Pete the Cat book, "The Misadventures of Pete the Cat," was self-published in 2006.
"Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes" was self-published in 2008 and sold 7,000 copies in 10 months. It was picked up by HarperCollins and rose to Number 8 on the New York Times Best Seller List for picture books.
Litwin authored the first four Pete the Cat books, with Dean providing illustrations. Dean has authored the books since then.
In December 2017, an animated holiday special, Pete the Cat: A Groovy New Year, was released on Amazon Prime, with voice acting from Jacob Tremblay, Elvis Costello and Diana Krall.
