71. Pop Goes the Nursery Rhyme. Betsy Bird. Illustrated by Andrea Tsurumi. 2025. 48 pages. [Source: Library] [picture book, humor, fractured nursery tales, 5 stars]

First sentence: All around the mulberry bush, 
The donkey chased the weasel.
The donkey thought 'twas all in fun...
Pop! Goes the weasel.
Mary had a little lamb,
Its fleece was right as snow.
And everywhere that Mary went,
The lamb was sure to...
Pop! Goes the weasel.

Premise/plot: The weasel gets to go POP in nearly every nursery tale in Betsy Bird's silly and creative play on nursery tales. The 'Secretary Bird' is having a time trying to keep things all proper and sorted and REGULAR. But alas, the weasel is weaselly. 

My thoughts: I definitely enjoyed this one. It was SILLY and goofy and just fun. Though I will admit some bias. Betsy Bird was one of the first book bloggers I started following way, way, way back in the day. (I started blogging in 2006). This book is delightful.

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

   

70. We Are Sneetches. (Board book). 2025. 26 pages. [Source: Library] [board book, Dr. Seuss legacy]

First sentence: We are the Sneetches, 
and we'd like to say
it is good to meet you
on this very fine day.
There's only one place
where you will find Sneetches--
that's spending our days
on hot, sandy beaches!
That's where we swim
and that's where we play.
We have so much fun.
We stay out there all day!

Premise/plot: This is NOT a board book of Dr. Seuss' The Sneetches. It is not. It is a new story featuring The Sneetches. Is this new Sneetch book in line with the original? No. Not really. It is very much "We Are The Buddy Bears" (if you know, you know). This one comes with a not subtle, sweet, moralistic message and no humor.

My thoughts: I don't care for this one as much as I'd hoped. I hoped it was a board book adaptation of The Sneetches. That's a misunderstanding on my part. This book could have an audience, I suppose.

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

   

69. Board book: This Is My World:  High Contrast Touch and Feel Book (Board Book). Hannah Eliot. Emily Spikings Illustrator. 2025. 14 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars, board book]

First sentence: This is the sun that rises each day. These are the colors you'll see when you play. These are the sounds you may hear, inside and outside, far and near.

Premise/plot: What you see is what you get. A high contrast, touch and feel book. Each spread introduces the youngest of little ones to the world around them. 

My thoughts: The book is high contrast. Black, white. Primary colors. Everything is bold. The illustrations are simple. The touch and feel elements are perhaps not as many as I'd like. Shiny isn't something you can touch and feel, for example. There are really only two textures that offer enough of a sensory experience (crinkly and soft). The book ends with a mirror which I believe is always a hit with little ones.

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

   

68. Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons. Eric Litwin. Illustrated by James Dean. 2012. 40 pages. [Source: Online Audio and picture book]

 First sentence: Pete the Cat put on his favorite shirt with four big, colorful, round, groovy buttons. He loved his buttons so much, he sang this song: 

"My buttons, my buttons,
my four groovy buttons.
My buttons, my buttons,
my four groovy buttons."

Premise/plot: Pete the Cat LOVES, LOVES, LOVES his shirt with FOUR groovy buttons. But life happens....and, well, Pete learns that things--including buttons--come and go. Is this book primarily teaching young children subtraction skills OR is it teaching coping skills an invaluable life lesson perhaps even more important than subtraction?

My thoughts: This one was the first Pete the Cat book I read, and I must say it is probably my favorite. I love, love, love it so much!!! If I Love My White Shoes was "teaching" colors, then Four Groovy Buttons is "teaching" subtraction. For, Pete the Cat loses each of his four buttons one by one. But does Pete cry?! Goodness no! I absolutely love the end of this one!!! And the moral this time: "I guess it simply goes to show that stuff will come and stuff will go. But do we cry? Goodness, NO! We keep on singing."

I first met Pete the Cat circa 2013 when I checked out all the Pete the Cat books from the library. Each of the original books has an audio version online, and these audio versions have been uploaded to YouTube many times. Since I am not using the library these days, I revisited one of my favorite, favorite, favorite books by listening to it. 

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

   

67. Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes. Eric Litwin. Illustrated by James Dean. 2010. 40 pages. [Source: Online Audio]

First sentence:  Pete the Cat was walking down the street in his brand-new white shoes. Pete loved his white shoes so much, he sang this song:

"I love my white shoes,
I love my white shoes,
I love my white shoes."

Premise/plot: Pete the Cat LOVES his white shoes, but will his shoes stay WHITE when he goes on his walk???? And how will he handle it if they're not perfectly-perfectly white? 

My thoughts:  I love, love, love, REALLY REALLY love Pete the Cat. He is my kind of cat. You should definitely download the free song(s) as well, so you can really sing right along with the book(s). True, you could make up your own tune, but, the song is so perfectly catchy.

So. Pete the Cat has white shoes which he loves. But, when he steps in some unpleasant things: strawberries, blueberries, a mud puddle, a bucket of water, does Pete cry?! Goodness no! He just keeps on walking and singing his song! Is this a concept book about colors (white, red, blue, brown)? Is this a book teaching necessary coping skills to preschoolers and kids? A bit of both. But. It is also just a really fun, very entertaining story about a groovy cat! I absolutely LOVE the repetition, and the fact that this is a book everyone can participate and join in on! Kids could even write their own stories.

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers