Title: Where Is Pete?
Author: Judith G Abernethy
Publisher: XlibrisUS
ISBN: 9781-9845-2895-7
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
Pages: 36
Reviewed by: Beth Adams
Pacific Book Review
Author Judith G. Abernethy highlights a very important message to children in her illustrated book Where Is Pete? As a family is having a picnic outdoors, they suddenly realize their young son, Pete, is missing. At first they think he’s hiding under the table, or in the bushes, but as they look around they cannot find Pete. Their search widens to a log, where they come across a skunk; to a cave where they see a sleeping bear; to the riverside where they find one of Pete’s sneakers. All comes to a happy ending in this book, however in real life happy endings are not always the norm. Too many kids go missing for days on end, causing much distress for the parents and family, and a hardship on the locals as search parties are formed – not to mention the life threatening experience to the lost kid!
The problem of children disappearing, whether getting lost on their own or purposely playing a hide-and-seek game, is a dangerous situation occurring many times each year. Where Is Pete? brings the risk of being lost to children to mind and telling of a way to solve the problem in a bedside book; educating kids on the right way to be found if they ever do get lost. Stay in one place – is the secret. If everyone is moving it may be hard to find each other but if one stays in the same spot, the others will eventually find them.
The illustrations show a family seeking to find Pete, with an ever increasing stressful look on their faces. Luckily, as Pete’s intentions were not to be hidden but he was lost, any disciplinary actions on behalf of his parents were thwarted, and they all enjoyed the remainder of the afternoon, hanging out under the tree where they found Pete.
Where Is Pete? is a story which needs to be told, and understood, by children and parents, offering a methodology of being found should they ever become separated while outdoors. Good advice, accepted by all will make this a potentially life-saving lesson. This is a fine book for all families to read together, and a good lesson to be learned.
