Pete the Cat Goes Crepuscular: Pete the Cat: Twinkle,Twinkle, Little Star by James Dean

TWINKLE, TWINKLE, LITTLE STAR!

Everyone knows that cats like to go out as twilight approaches, and Pete the Cat is no exception. With his trusty skateboard and guitar, he rolls out as the sun is setting to see what night has going on. It's getting pretty dark out there, with just that first star visible.

THEN THE TRAVELER IN THE DARK

THANKFUL FOR YOUR TINY SPARK...

To the words of that most venerable of nursery songs, Pete plays along with the lyrics, watching fireflies fly up as the stars pop out in the dark blue sky. Sunset and moonrise are good to see, but soon Pete rolls home, glad to see his mom in the lighted door, looking for him. There is dinner with family (peas on the plate), a sudsy bath with his yellow ducky, sailboat, and red rocket, bedtime hugs, and off to dreamland, where Pete's dreams have him boarding his toy red rocket and flying to a favorite star, "like a diamond in the sky," just in time for the end of the song.

For youngsters who haven't heard the whole of this old English nursery song, Pete's gentle introduction is a pleasant way to sing the whole song as they head for bed. Pete the Cat: Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star (Harper, 2014) is a sweet way to greet the stars that may twinkle at their windows "all the night."