What Pete Ate from A to Z

...and my son's too! My now 4 year old received this as a gift more than a year ago, and it has been a frequent choice for the bedtime story repertoire ever since. Witty and clever for the preschool to adult set.

Good grief, what a fun and random and surprisingly educational book! I read this to my first graders (and yes, we did attempt to list all the bizarre things) and I highly doubt they understood what half the objects were, but the certainly enjoyed it. The story is told from the perspective of a girl with weird friends and relations and a mostly good dog that likes to eat random objects. So, with a storm of words and items and totally wild and fun pictures, the list begins. What Pete ate, in alphabetical order (because, hey, that's the best way to organize).

Great book. I have read to my 3 year old son a hundred times, he loves it and it has letters from A-Z. Not your normal book for pre-schoolers because it's interesting for adults too. I am giving it for XMas gifts to nephews.

Maira Kalman does it again. She has written a book that I (as a godmother) love to read over and over to my god-daughter who loves to hear it again and again. Everytime we read it, we find something new to say about it and talk about. This writer is so original and charming and even, sophisticated. Her style is very conversational and really creative. She is a perfect companion to see the world with... New York's Grand Central Station, India, Paris and even Hollywood (from her Max series). The children that I read this book to respond to her curious and playful nature. She doesn't pander to kids but challenges them and invites them into her original and artistic world.

Meet Poppy Wise and her dog Pete. When it comes to eating, Pete is far from discriminating. If fact, he'll eat just about anything. So Poppy begins at the beginning with the letter A and chronicles exactly what this ever-hungry canine has gotten into. Moving letter by letter this includes Cousin Rocky's Accordion...All of it, a Camera, an Eggbeater, a Fez, and her brother's magic Key. At the Lucky dog show he ate all the Leashes which Let Loose all the dogs. A bit later he ate Mrs Parlsey's Pink Pocketbook, a Stinky Sneaker, Cousin Rocky's Underpants (Uggh!), and a Yo-yo. And as Poppy finally tells us, the only thing Pete won't eat is Zug Zug Dog Grub..... Maira Kalman has written a charming and hilarious walk through the alphabet that's full of unforgettable characters, wordplay, irreverent commentary, and witty asides. Both kids and adults will smile, giggle and eventually laugh out loud at the antics of four legged eating machine. Her delightful and energetic text is told in an easy to read, conversational style, and complemented by bold, bright and busy child-like artwork. Youngsters will enjoy poring over the pictures and finding all the silly details on each page. Perfect for kids 4-8, What Pete Ate From A-Z is a special, joyous romp, that makes a terrific gift, and is a wonderful addition to all home bookshelves.