Author of Pete the Cat books to perform at Reading Under the Lights
For the News-Sun
The JF Maddox Foundation, United Way of Lea County and Hobbs Municipal Schools will welcome the original author of the Pete the Cat series, Eric Litwin, as the featured performer at the Reading Under the Lights event 5-8:30 p.m. on April 26 at Watson Memorial Stadium on the Hobbs High School campus.
“We are excited to welcome Eric to Hobbs for our Reading Under the Lights event,” said Mayra Lovas, vice president – grants, at the JF Maddox Foundation. “This fun performance is sure to inspire students to engage with the characters of Litwin’s stories which so many of us have grown to love with our families.”
Reading Under the Lights is geared toward school-aged children encouraging them to foster a love of reading.
The event will include individual reading stations featuring community members and vendors. Litwin will perform a concert featuring his original Pete the Cat read aloud stories and other selections.
Students and families are invited to sing along, move along and dance along to the captivating musical stories. Litwin will also discuss how Pete the Cat and his other characters stay positive, loving and resilient even as things get tough.
Litwin is expected to perform at 7 p.m.and will sign books following the performance.
Each student who attends Reading Under the Lights will receive a free Pete the Cat book.
“Hobbs Schools knows the importance of a good foundation for building reading skills and the Reading Under the Lights event is a perfect opportunity for us to bring reading fun outside of the classroom,” Hobbs Municipal Schools Superintendent Gene Strickland said.
“Improving literacy levels in Hobbs takes a community effort, and we are excited to be a part of an event that is fun but also educational. From our reading stations to Eric’s performance, Reading Under the Lights is sure to be a fun event for families in our community, and we encourage everyone to come,” United Way of Lea County President and Chief Executive Officer Becca Titus said.
In addition to writing the first four Pete the Cat books, Litwin authored The Nuts, Groovy Joe and The Poop Song.
He is also the co-author of The Power of Joyful Reading: Help Your Young Readers Soar to Success, a popular professional development book for teachers.
Litwin’s books promote optimism and get the reader engaged. They have sold more than 13 million copies, been translated into 17 languages, and won 26 literacy awards including a Theodor Geisel Seuss Honor Award.
The event is free and open to the public, but tickets are encouraged. Tickets are available via Eventbrite: https://bit.ly/2024ReadingUnderTheLightsHobbs.
