Richard Hyatt: Mr. Eric involves the children

Eric Litwin is a recovering special ed teacher who does songs that encourage little kids to sing along. He strums the guitar, blows the harmonica, writes goofy songs, does funky dance steps and writes books that make children want to read.

Put these skills together and you have a New York Times best-selling writer of children's books. Litwin has sold more than 1.5 million books, starting with four "Pete the Cat" books that bear his name. His latest series tells the story of "Bedtime at the Nut House."

Mr. Eric is as nutty as his fictitious family when he romps around the school auditorium singing about Ima, Hazel and Wally. From the first word he speaks until the last, the author engages the children who sit on the floor "criss-cross and applesauce."

He was in the area last week performing at seven elementary schools in Muscogee and Harris counties. Even if the kids don't know Mr. Eric, they know "Pete the Cat." He did a live performance of "I Love My White Shoes" and the kids at Blanchard Elementary sang along.

Many of you don't know Pete, who rides a skateboard and surfs with a natural coolness. To him, everything is groovy and his original catchphrase was, "It's all good."

Mr. Eric and Atlanta artist James Dean jointly created Pete's literary persona in 2008. While the cat prospered, they went their separate ways four years later.

His writing process is unlike grown-up writers. When Mr. Eric is in front of an audience, he's editing, rewriting and sometimes composing. He includes music and movement, and he's always thinking about the emerging reader.

"I write my songs and books in front of a live audience," Mr. Eric says. "I'm constantly trying something new and I do 300 or 400 performances a year."

In his world, there are no rules. He uses prediction and sight words. Young children can hear one of his songs for the first time, and by the second time through they join right in. They know what's coming as well as he does.

His performances create an interactive literacy that involves call-and-response, repetition and rhythmic rhymes. Youngsters at Blanchard were with him all the way; even if their white shoes got dirty -- for would Pete cry if his white sneakers got stained? "Goodness, no."

-- Richard Hyatt is an independent correspondent. Reach him at hyatt31906@knology.net.

This story was originally published February 28, 2015 at 8:06 PM with the headline "Richard Hyatt: Mr. Eric involves the children."