Pete the Cat and the Missing Cupcakes by Kimberly and James Dean

Pete the Cat and the Missing Cupcakes
Reviewed by: Jaquel Hackett
Author & Illustrator: Kimberly & James Dean


Recommended Grade Level: K – 2nd grade

Common Core Content Standards Addressed

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.1.OA.A.1
Use subtraction to keep track of how many cupcakes are going missing. Students could use addition to find out how many cupcakes are being eaten. 

Common Core Standard for Mathematical Practice

CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP7: Look for and make use of structure.

Mathematically proficient students look closely to discern a pattern or structure. Young students, for example, might notice that the number of cupcakes keep decreasing by twos.

Summary:
Pete the Cat and his friends bake cupcakes for a cupcake party but someone keeps taking them. Two cupcakes go missing at a time and nobody knows who is taking them. Pete the Cat and his friend finally solve the mystery, their friend the Grumpy Toad took all of the cupcakes. They learn how to forgive Toad for the mistake he made. Toad ended up coming to the party with more than enough cupcakes for everyone.

Rating:
This is a very good book that could be used in the younger grades, K – 2nd grade. It can be used in a couple of classroom settings that teach the mathematical concept of subtraction and addition. Pete the Cat is also a good book because it teaches social skills such as learning how to apologize and learning how to forgive. It could have been a five star if the book used more mathematical concepts perhaps, the Toad doubled the cupcakes he took. 

Classroom Ideas:
Pete the Cat could be used in a kindergarten classroom to demonstrate how to subtract. A teacher could line up ten students. As the teacher reads the book two students move to the missing side of the room. The teacher could point out that as the number of  “cupcakes” go  missing the more the missing line of cupcakes increase. 

This book could also be used to model mathematics. A teacher could have the children write down the beginning ten cupcakes. Each time two cupcakes go missing the students have to show their work  and find out how many cupcakes are left, until there are no more cupcakes. 

Comments

  1. UnknownMarch 12, 2018 at 8:08 PM

    Hey Jaquel,

    After reading your "Classroom Ideas", I thought about how engaging your activities would be for young students. It certainly breaks the idea of students just sitting in their seats learning to do math! Not only would an activity like this cement subtraction in their minds, but also they will probably comprehend the story better.

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  2. UnknownMarch 13, 2018 at 3:32 PM

    Hi Jaquel,

    Your classroom ideas are excellent ways to help students learn about subtraction. Instead of being strapped to a desk and listening to the teacher students will be interacting in the classroom, as you mention in your first idea. The fact that they are learning about subtracting cupcakes make it even more fun because every child loves cupcakes and students will definitely have fun subtracting.

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  3. UnknownMarch 21, 2018 at 11:45 AM

    Jacquel,

    I think you created a great classroom idea that could be very useful in helping children understand the concept of subtraction. I think that having students physical take part in the activities , instead of just observing the teacher can be very engaging. When you stated " A teacher could line up ten students. As the teacher reads the book two students move to the missing side of the room". , it reminded of certain classroom activities, I have seen first grade teachers use to demonstrate math story problems. I would definitely use a similar scenario in my own classroom.

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