Pete the Cat: Hickory Dickory Dock

Pete the Cat

by James Dean, Kimberly Dean

#1 New York Times bestselling creators James and Kimberly Dean put a groovy spin on the classic children’s song “Hickory Dickory Dock” with everyone’s favorite cool cat. Hickory dickory dock. Pete the Cat went up the clock! The clock struck one. The cat went down. Hickory dickory dock! Sing along with Pete the Cat as he rocks out to this classic tune with a supercool twist in this paper-over-board picture book. 

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Storytime, Nursery Rhymes, Cats, Humor, Animals

24 pages, Hardcover

Published May 16, 2023

About the author

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.

Reviews

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I know the Pete the Cat series is very popular, but our girls were too old to embrace the phenomenon. I've read a few of the books, but wasn't sure about why they were so popular.

I found this ebook edition and read along while it was narrated. Still don't get it. Good, not great.

And I fear the sheer number of books in the series waters down the special charm of the original tale, comparible to what happened with Splat the Cat. Exploitation of the book's popularity for more book sales, not a pursuit of what would make a good book.

[Peacegal · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars--The best thing about this entry in the ever-expanding Pete universe is the artwork--the artist had some fun with perspective as the crew climbs up and down a looming grandfather clock. Other than that, it's just the familiar nursery rhyme with Pete characters in place of the mouse. This one will amuse the tiniest tots, but slightly older kids will board.

[Le Maistre Chat · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nursery rhyme abuse. The meter is ruined to put Pete the Cat and friends in place of the mouse. It keeps repeating the same words over and over again with different names, until Alligator breaks the grandfather clock by climbing it.
Would give it one star, but my toddler really liked it at the library.

[Spider · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was our first Pete the Cat book, and I didn't get the appeal. It's just a regurgitation of a well-known nursery rhyme with the meter and consistent rhyme stripped away. I'm wondering if this one was a throwaway title to fill a quota or something. We'll have to give Pete another chance.

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pete the Cat and friends put a twist on a familiar nursery rhyme, as each takes a turn of going up the clock.

[Lacy | literary_lacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun, Pete the Cat, spin on an old classic. My daughter enjoyed it, and we had fun reading it! Pete the Cat rocks!

[Kim Hampton · Rating 4 out of 5]

A take on the classic story of the mouse.

[Library To-Go · Rating 3 out of 5]

07/10/24 PediaTrust story time -JEC

[julita · Rating 3 out of 5]

An alligator?!

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hickory Dickory dock! Pete the Cat and his friends take turns running up the clock and back down again. But when alligator has his turn, oh no!

[Ashley Moser · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun supplement to teach nursery rhymes.