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Reviewed by:
  • Pete With No Pants by Rowboat Watkins
  • Kate Quealy-Gainer
Watkins, Rowboat Pete With No Pants; written and illus. by Rowboat Watkins. Chronicle, 2017 34p
ISBN 978-1-4521-4401-6 $16.99         R 3-6 yrs

Since Pete the baby elephant is big, gray, and pantsless, he reasonably decides he's a boulder. When that doesn't work out, his love of acorns makes him think maybe he's a squirrel, but the squirrels do not agree and scurry off in a panic when the "hungry talking boulder" attempts to play peek-a-boo. Mom halts the fun by insisting that he put on some pants ("You looked like a naked pigeon"). The next day, Pete's at the pantless play again, but this time Mom's a little more forgiving about his bareness and she happily joins in his play, if not his state of dress. This is a lovely, absurd little tale with humor both jubilant and sardonic (the squirrel's commentary in text bubbles is particularly amusing), and it's bound to be a familiar situation to many a carefree, nudist kid and their exasperated, clothes-demanding parent. The stop for bedtime in the middle throws the narrative off a bit, but it also proves Pete's penchant for bareness is no one-time whim. Portly, square Pete (he really does look like a boulder) is a little pachyderm to root for, while the scribbly, poofy-tailed squirrels throw some excellent shade with side-eyes and snark. Smudgy figures against a mottled ivory background with occasional pops of color offer visual interest and create a cozy little world for Pete's no-clothes antics. This [End Page 430] is sure to incite major giggles; just make sure everyone knows clothes are a must at storytime.

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