Pete the Cat: The Wheels on the Bus by James Dean

Pete the Cat: The Wheels on the Bus Reviews

• 
  Grace Huey

  Grace’s analysis: This book is silly, and it’s unsafe that the dog was driving the bus at one point.
  
  No help needed: motor, driver
  
  Help needed: signals, kitties
• 
  Jill

  I am two minds about this book. On the one hand, kids who love Pete the Cat and Wheels on the bus will love this. Also, I think it will have appeal for parents who will be able to pick the book up and sing it to their child. BUT--oh, these Pete books have steadily gone downhill since the first one (and Groovy Buttons!) There is no more creativity or originality and this one is the perfect example of that. But people are obviously making money on them, so I guess that's what matters.
• 
  Joan

  I didn’t notice till I got home the dangerous words “based on the creation of”. So, yeah, the text limped along and was too long. Some of the verses didn’t make sense. Not in the magnificently silly logical kind of illogic of the original Pete the Cat series but just stupid. So while it is bright and kids will sit for practically any version of wheels on the bus, I don’t recommend this one.
• 
  Rosa Cline

  This wasn't one of my favorite Pete the Cat book. There wasn't any of the 'fun' stuff that Pete The Cat books have. This was word for word of the song of "Wheels on the Bus" so if your child likes that song then they'll love this book. There is just one or two phrases that is made for Pete the Cat and is different than the original song. The illustrations are fun (about the only thing 'fun' about the book)
• 
  Chelsea

  Of course I love Pete the Cat. This started out just like any other wheels on the bus song/book but it picked up some of its unique Peteness near the end which I enjoyed. I'll definitely use it in storytime.
• 
  Maxwell Rae

  THus is just the song in written form. Glad I didn’t pay for this.
• 
  Kristen Thorp

  216/365
• 
  Mary Chase Mize

  An instant favorite for Addison.
• 
  Jessica

  I’m told this song, “Wheels in the bus” will be one we will hear / sing a lot, but I didn’t care for the book. It’s just another variation of the song. No real point or storyline behind it. Maybe it’s because I never road a bus to / from school, just field trips and games, but it’s a book sing-along that I may revise my rating once we read it to Baby C.
• 
  Slayermel

  This is "the wheels on the Bus" song, put into Pete the Cat style of illustration. We really enjoyed singing a long while enjoying the pictures. My daughter was especially taken with the dog who gets on the bus and continues to switch seats. Pete adds some of his own rocking flare, as always Brightly illustrated, and a fun enjoyable read.
• 
  Richie Partington

  Richie's Picks: PETE THE CAT: THE WHEELS ON THE BUS by James Dean, HarperCollins, June 2013, 32p., ISBN: 978-0-06-219871-6
  
  "The bus came by and I got on, that's where it all began"
  -- Grateful Dead (I'm currently listening to a scorching TOO from 11/4/77, the Cotterell Gym at Colgate)
  
  Move over, Pigeon and Cowboy Neal! Pete the Cat's in the driver's seat on this bus.
  
  "The kitties on the bus say 'Come on, Pete!'
  'Come on, Pete!' 'Come on, Pete!'
  The kitties on the bus say 'Come on, Pete!' all day long."
  
  According to the collective wisdom at Wikipedia,
  
  "'The Wheels on the Bus' is an anonymous United States folk song dating to the mid-20th century. It is a popular children's song, particularly among pre-teens, in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom and is often sung by children on bus trips to keep themselves amused. It has a very repetitive rhythm, making the song both easy for a large number of people to sing, as well as having the potential to infuriate adults as chorus after chorus drones on, in a manner similar to the song 99 Bottles of Beer. It is based on the traditional British song Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush."
  
  Well, given the song's great potential for annoying adults who find themselves trapped on a bus with a bunch of kids, I can't help but want to tell you all about this catchy little book which is an illustrated edition -- Pete style -- of the song's verses, and a bus full of (mostly) cats.
  
  This is a book for preschoolers and kindergartners. And while, back in the days when preschool was called nursery school (and TVs were black and white and Tricky Dick was playing second-fiddle to Ike), they actually had busses pick us up at home and transport us to nursery school, that is generally not the case today. So this book can actually serve as a great lesson to preschoolers about what to expect when they are old enough to board a school bus.
  
  There is one dog on the bus. And so, when you put together a bunch of construction paper headbands with cat ears for all of your preschoolers to don in preparation for singing this song while turning the pages of the book, be sure to make one headband with doggie ears and let kids take turns on different days being the dog and doing a woofing solo when you reach "The dog on the bus goes woof woof woof" verse. I'd also recommend some natural, hypoallergenic makeup for drawing whiskers on kittens.
  
  That dog is a total crack-up. The spread with the dog sitting next to two cats, clearly wondering how the heck he got stuck on THIS bus, is absolutely priceless.
  
  Oops. This is my stop. See ya.
  
  Richie Partington, MLIS
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• 
  Mama Bibliosoph

  These singalong books in the Pete the Cat series don't rock the boat too much with new twists. But that's the point. They are designed to introduce traditional children's songs.
  
  Wheels on the Bus has a few extra verses where the cats on the bus shout "Let's Rock Out!" and "Pete the Cat!" Other than that, it's exactly what you remember (but with a certain cool cat driver).
  
  ---
  I review books for children from the perspective of a parent of kids with autism. The review above is part of a longer post on books about singalong books:
  https://www.lineupthebooks.com/40-sin...
• 
  Lacey Louwagie

  This is my first Pete the Cat book, and I know it's not representative since it's an adaptation of the Wheels on the Bus song rather than an original story. Still, it's tons of fun! The Wheels on the Bus is one of my favorite songs from childhood, and the rhythm it provides makes this a really fun readaloud (even if my month-old baby did start crying halfway through -- I'll force this book on him again when he's older.) Also, you can't really go wrong with these droll illustrations, which serve as a fun counterpoint to the actions you can do with your child at different points in the song. The illustrations seem to tell a subversive story all their own that is completely disregarded in the text -- like, why is there a lone dog riding this bus full of cats? Is he a dog on the outside but a cat on the inside? I look forward to exploring more Pete the Cat!
• 
  Carmela Dutra

  This is the first Pete the Cat book I have ever picked up. I am giving it five stars because my toddler just fell in love with this book. From the moment he saw it in the bookstore, he had to read it, and has had to have it read everyday since. I cannot help but sing the book instead of read it to him. Definitely brings back memories of singing this as a child. I’m eager for my mom to read him this book, she just so happens to be a school bus driver!
• 
  Brandi

  I didn't feel like this version of the wheels on the bus had anything new to offer.
  It's easy to tell that the original author of Pete the Cat favorites, didn't write this book. I read somewhere (can't remember where) that Eric Litwin will not be writing any more Pete stories. In my mind, that's NOT all good.
• 
  Mary

  Well, we all know that age old rhyme about the wheels on the bus, but here it is with its own special Pete the Cat style twists. Kids will enjoy the familiarity and repetition, as well as seeing Pete and his friends as they ride the bus all . . . day . . . long.
  
  Cute illustrations and funny little add-ins make this a fun version of a traditional favorite.
• 
  Paula Spoo

  I was disappointed in the book! It doesn't have the same pizzazz as the regular Pete the Cats book. It may look like Pete the Cat, but without the mannerisms, words, shoes, guitar, etc. that make Pete Pete. I gave it points just because it's about Pete.
• 
  Gail

  A very cute Pete the Cat book. Pete the Cat is the school bus driver and it goes along the lines of the wheels on the bus song. My 20 month old and 7 year old granddaughters just love the book. The 20 month old granddaughter loves to hug her Pete the Cat when we read any of his stories.
• 
  Michelle (FabBookReviews)

  
  Great rendition of a classic children's song.
  
  Fun verse additions like this one:
  'The cats on the bus shout, 'Let's rock out! Let's rock out!'
  'The cats on the bus shout, 'Let's rock out!' all day long.
  
  I can see kids at my storytimes going bonkers for this one!
  
• 
  Laura

  Pete the Cat is the bus driver for "The Wheels on the Bus" song. There are some fun additions to the traditional versus such as "The cats on the bus shout, "Let's rock out! Let's rock out!" Fun for preschool aged children but be prepared for this read aloud to take forever!
• 
  Andrea

  As usual for Pete the Cat - this book is great fun. It starts out with the favorite song of the preschool set, but then adds Pete's usual flair with a few verses of his own. I can not wait to see what his "Magical" sunglasses do in his next book.
• 
  Michelle Nero

  At first I was disappointed that Pete the Cat was singing the same old song, but then quickly realized there was a twist! My 3 YOs loved it because there was shared knowledge of the "Wheels on the Bus" song and something new too!
• 
  Sue

  It's PETE! Well, I have to agree that if Pete isn't a fan, you won't like this book. But if you are a librarian and use Pete the Cat books in your story times all of the time, then the kids will love this one too. Its really just the Wheels on the Bus tune. The difference is Pete.