The bestselling author of the ‘Pete the Cat’ series is reading and drawing daily on Instagram for kids stuck at home
- School closures due to the coronavirus pandemic have impacted nearly 30 million US children.
- James Dean, bestselling author and illustrator of the "Pete the Cat" series, is one of a number of authors who are hosting free events online for children.
- Every weekday at 12 p.m. EST, Dean will be reading and drawing on his Instagram account.
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Parents who are suddenly homeschooling their children while schools are closed because of the coronavirus pandemic, can turn to James Dean, bestselling author and illustrator, for daily entertainment and education.
Dean, author and illustrator of the "Pet the Cat" series, is reading and drawing every weekday on his Instagram accountat 12 p.m. EST. He's dubbed the sessions the "Pete the Cat Club."
The first book in the series, "Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes," is based on a drawing Dean made of his own cat in the late 1990s. Since it was published in 2008, Dean has added more than 65 books to the series and he also has an Amazon Prime television show.
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James Dean said he hopes his books teach children not to give up
Dean, who worked as an electrical engineer before becoming an artist, has spoken about the message he aims to instill in his young readers.
"I want them to keep going and believe that it's possible to succeed," Dean told Teaching Books in 2014. "I ask them to try not to let anything or anyone discourage them."
Dean is one of a number of authors who are supporting children impacted by the coronavirus.
Mo Willems, bestselling author of "Knufflebunny," "The Pigeon Has to Go to School!," and several other popular children's books, is also livestreaming a "Lunch Doodle" video every weekday at 1 p.m. EST out of his Massachusetts home. The videos will be posted on the Kennedy Center's official Youtube account and on the group's website.
Celebrities are also reading to children online
Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Garner, and Amy Adams are participating in @savewithstories, an initiative that invites celebrities to read children's books on Instagram and Facebook.
Donations to the initiative are going to Save the Children and No Kid Hungry, charities that work to provide food and educational materials to families in need.
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