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Pete the Cat 12-Book Phonics Fun!: An Ebook of 12 Mini-Books Featuring Short and Long Vowel Sounds – A Learn-to-Read Collection for Kids (Ages 4-8)

Pete the Cat helps kids learn to read with phonics! Who knew reading could be so groovy?

This set of 12 simple and fun Pete the Cat storybooks is an excellent choice to share with your beginning reader. It’s a fun way to learn to read and as a supplement for activity books for children ages 3 to 6. Enter into the world of reading with My First I Can Read! 

Reviewed by a phonics expert, these 12 short full-color books feature repeated examples of short and long vowel sounds and common sight words. Each of the simple stories in this box set is designed to teach kids how to master reading while rocking out with Pete the Cat.

Phonics teaches children the relationship between letters and the sounds they make. A child who has mastered these relationships has an excellent foundation for learning to read and spell. According to the National Institute of Child Health & Human Development, a child who has learned phonics has a method to recognize familiar words and “decode” unfamiliar ones.

144 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 14, 2020

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About the author

James Dean

232 books268 followers
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.

James Dean is the original creator and illustrator of Pete the Cat. He is a self-taught artist originally from Fort Payne, Alabama. His passion for drawing became apparent at a young age, and as a child, you could find James drawing his favorite characters like Snoopy and Yogi Bear.

James earned his degree in electrical engineering from Auburn University and went on to work for Georgia Power for a number of years. Eventually, he was called to pursue his art full- time and began selling his work at art festivals around the Southeast. It was during this time that he began creating paintings and drawing of his cat, Pete.The little blue cat showed up as a character in James’s artwork around 1999 and has been a permanent fixture ever since.

James Dean’s art has been sold in more than ninety galleries and shops across the United States. He has devoted his paintings to Pete the Cat for fifteen years and turned his natural love for cats into his life’s work. James published his first book, The Misadventures of Pete the Cat, a history of his artwork, in 2006, and he illustrated his first self-published children’s book, Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes, in 2008. There are now almost 100 published Pete the Cat titles with more coming out all the time. James is humbled every day by the success that this groovy blue cat has brought him. He says positively affecting children’s lives is his number one priority, and he is grateful to have such an amazing audience to work for.

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Community Reviews

5 stars
423 (74%)
4 stars
82 (14%)
3 stars
35 (6%)
2 stars
8 (1%)
1 star
19 (3%)
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
73 reviews
April 17, 2021
My daughter loved them at 3. They're little and fun to gather up and put in the box, and I think as she learns to read she will enjoy the simple sentences. The pedagogical component leaves something to be desired -- perhaps not always the best examples to illustrate the vowel sounds -- but overall good.
3 reviews
January 5, 2026
great read

My son says it’s the coolest!
So it also gets my vote.
If you get it for free might as well check it out with your kids
Profile Image for Darla Mahe.
11 reviews
December 24, 2024
It's funny and amazing!

It's funny and fun to read. Whoever created this was smart. I really enjoyed reading this to my little sister.
Profile Image for Erin Britt.
80 reviews3 followers
July 11, 2022
Fun and engaging for read along

Fun and engaging as a read along, or as a beginner reader that can read some on their own. Would not however recommend to one who isn’t as confident in reading alone.
Profile Image for Elizabeth.
6,919 reviews116 followers
April 29, 2026
Pete the Cat 12-Book Phonics Fun! (My First I Can Read) by James Dean– This is on kindle unlimited as part of the Pete the Cat 12-Book Phonics Fun collection. Perfect for working on specific vowel sounds for new readers! Happy Reading!
Profile Image for Desa Rae.
318 reviews8 followers
July 20, 2026
My 3yo is able to read most of the stories on her own with the exception of 1-2 words. It is the perfect blend of empowering her with some challenge and introduction to new words. She loves this book and we all love Pete the Cat!
Profile Image for Karen.
380 reviews1 follower
February 27, 2021
Fans of Pete the Cat will enjoy these mini-books. It would be ok to use as a review for vowel sounds.
Profile Image for KaitandMaddie.
4,624 reviews13 followers
March 22, 2021
These keep the slightly absurd humour of Pete the Cat, while being easily decodable for Kait.
Profile Image for Kim Hampton.
1,767 reviews37 followers
October 31, 2022
A great way to teach kids phonics while having fun with Pete the Cat and his friends.
Profile Image for Dania.
211 reviews2 followers
January 15, 2024
These are so good for early readers with an interest in cats. I love the illustrations :)
1 review
February 13, 2026
Great

I liked reading it with my grandmother. I like Pete and his adventures will look for more. It was good.
Profile Image for Ashley Allen.
6 reviews
September 20, 2026
Great for school reading

Great for school reading for 15 minutes! My kindergarten and I enjoyed learning new words. He was able to try some words all by himself
Profile Image for Mr. Peace.
123 reviews
August 18, 2021
Mommy read me all twelve books in one sitting even though I could have read them myself.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews