Upside Down Pete
Being different can feel miserable to a child, but the enchanting new children's book, Upside-Down Pete by Duane King, shows kids that being unique can be something very, very special indeed. Pete does everything upside down and he's teased, mocked, and sometimes even admired. He rides his bike steering with his feet. He lies down with his feet on the pillow. But some things are out of reach for him. When he wants to speak with deaf people, he has trouble because he can't sign with his feet, and church people won't let him be in the choir because he looks too odd! Still, Pete doesn't mind being topsy-turvy. One day, a doctor comes to the house and cures Pete. Now right side up, Pete can do everything other people can-though his world now looks upside down to him! Charmingly written and warmly told, Upside-Down Pete has a gentle message about accepting and appreciating people, no matter their differences. It's okay to be different, the book suggests. When you meet someone who is disabled in some way, get to know that person and you will discover that differences can be appreciated and that it is what's inside that really matters. Upside-Down Pete also includes discussion questions at the end of the story for parents and children to mull over. A fun, sensitive, and entertaining read-aloud book, Upside-Down Pete is as inspiring as it is entertaining.
A Word from the Author:
"Upside Down Pete began as a bedtime story that I created back in the 1960s for our two children, Jonathan (JD) and Christine (Chris). They loved to hear it again and again, each time slightly different and with a few of their own ideas thrown in. It dawned on me that it is not only an interesting and fun story but that it is a marvelous teaching tool for children (and even adults!)."
"More specific answers to “Who would buy this book?” include parents who desire to teach their children social graces, teachers, grandparents and other relatives of children, social workers, and family members of handicapped or “different” children."
"The Upside Down Pete books might accompany other books, being sold as part of a set with other books about the deaf, or the handicapped, or with books about social interactions."
"The book has such potential as a teaching aid and as an encourager to “different” children that I believe it might be good to include a “Reader’s Guide” which would list many of the ideas I’ve expressed in this letter, as well as other ideas gleaned from you as the publisher, and/or from some of the special groups mentioned earlier. The teaching and encouraging potential is there and is evident to me, but perhaps should be pointed out to prospective buyers."
Thanks,
JD
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