Pete's Expert Summary
My human has acquired a collection of paper artifacts, apparently designed to indoctrinate a small human with notions of "fearlessness." The central object is a heavy, hard-cornered book, which seems promising as a potential chin-scratching post or, if I'm feeling generous, a weighted blanket for my nap. The rest of the kit consists of flimsy paper cutouts of children—fragile prey that would last mere seconds against a proper pounce—and a sheet of sticky annoyances. Frankly, the entire enterprise seems like a tremendous waste of good cardboard, with the notable exception of the cloth bag it all came in. A quality bag, offering darkness, strategic concealment, and a crinkly texture, is never a waste of my time. The rest is just filler.
Key Features
- Kit includes Hardcover Treasury with all 6 Original Stories by Ludwig Bemelmans, Madeline and Pepito paper doll set, Activity Book with Stickers as well as a We 3 Books gift / book bag. This is a great way to encourage hands-on learning and share the love of reading.
- A complete collection of all the original adventures of Madeline, a fearless little girl full of mischief and vitality. Madeline, Madeline’s Rescue, Madeline and the Bad Hat, Madeline and the Gypsies, Madeline in London, and Madeline’s Christmas have charmed generations of readers, and have become true classics. In each of these adventures, Bemelmans’ humorous verse, his immortal characters—Miss Clavel, Pepito, the magician, the others—and his wonderful, whimsical drawings of Paris combine to create a memorable reading experience for people of all ages.
- Kit includes Hardcover Treasury with all 6 Original Stories by Ludwig Bemelmans, Madeline and Pepito paper doll set, Activity Book with Stickers as well as a We 3 Books gift / book bag. This is a great way to encourage hands-on learning and share the love of reading.
- It's playtime as Madeline and Pepito step out of the stories and into your hands as paper dolls. They are a favorite for story time, role play, or imaginary play. The world can be a far less scary place with a comforting books and companions. Pretending helps develop empathy & social skill development as children imagine the world through another's eyes. Caring for these friends help set the stage for later relationships with their friends. Also, kinetic and tactile learners find delight and comfort when they hold, play, and learn with the activity sticker book and paper dolls.
A Tale from Pete the Cat
The case dropped on a Tuesday afternoon. The Human, my primary associate and food source, brought in a suspicious package. The label, "Gifts by We 3 Books," sounded like a front for some do-gooder operation. My instincts, honed by years of tracking the subtle movements of sunbeams across the floor, told me this was no ordinary shipment of salmon pâté. I watched from my perch on the back of the sofa as she laid out the contents on the rug, a strange tableau of evidence: a thick, heavy tome; a file containing two-dimensional "persons of interest"; a sheet of adhesive symbols; and a canvas transport vessel. This warranted a closer look. I descended with the silent grace befitting a top-tier investigator, my white tuxedo immaculate against the dark wood floor. The heavy tome, the "Treasury," smelled of fresh ink and binding glue—too clean. I gave its corner a perfunctory sniff and rub, marking it as cleared... for now. My attention turned to the paper cutouts. "Madeline" and "Pepito," the dossier implied. They were flimsy, unnervingly cheerful. I nudged the girl-figure with my nose. She was a featherweight, easily intimidated. A single, calculated swat sent her skittering under the coffee table, a fugitive from justice. Her companion, the one in the "bad hat," offered no more resistance. They were clearly low-level couriers, not the masterminds. The investigation grew cold with the sheet of stickers. The Human peeled off a little yellow coat and tried to affix it to my fur, a stunning breach of protocol. I responded with a glare that could curdle cream and a strategic retreat. These were clearly just distractions, cheap tricks to throw me off the scent. But I'm not so easily fooled. My gaze fell upon the final piece of the puzzle: the canvas bag. It sat open, a dark, inviting cavern. It smelled faintly of… potential. Of conspiracy. Of a really, really good nap. I slipped inside. The world outside fell away, the harsh light of the lamp muted to a gentle glow. From within my new mobile command center, I could survey the entire room, unseen and unbothered. The paper operatives and their heavy book of tales were irrelevant, mere props in a much larger play. The true prize, the entire purpose of this so-called "gift set," was this bag. It was a perfect observation post, an unimpeachable fortress of solitude. The Human thought she was encouraging some child. The fool. She had, in her bumbling way, acquired the single greatest piece of tactical napping equipment I had seen all fiscal year. Case closed.