Eric Litwin, author of the first four Pete the Cat picture books, will be performing in the Hays Public Library this evening.  Litwin spoke with Hays Post about how he began his career entertaining and creating stories. He says he started as a classroom teacher trying to reach and teach students.  During this time he began to develop something he calls ”interactive literacy.”

“It’s the use of music and movement, call and response, and repetition rhythm and rhyme blended in with early literacy. And that was the beginning of my writing.  And from there, I became a professional entertainer: I was a story teller, a musician, and I played almost 200-300 shows a year for ten years.”

Litwin explained that his stories grew out of this performance style, and his stories lend themselves to being a time of interaction rather than a simple reading.  For his performances in Hays, he says that people can expect to have a lot of fun.

“They can expect to have a wonderful time singing, moving, interacting, becoming part of the story.  Their children will be on their lap for part of the time, and they’ll be bouncing them up and down, possibly even eating them.  They’ll tickle them, they may hug them, they’ll sing with them.  It’s just a full, fun, family performance.”

When asked about age ranges he prefers to perform in front of, he was very clear about his expectations, stating that he prefers “newborn to 105.”  He said his stories contain humor for children as well as the adults, and he performs to entertain everyone, not just the children in attendance.

Performances will be at the Hays Public Library today at 4pm and 6pm.  Pete the Cat will be making an appearance at some point. Litwin is also going to provide a sneak preview of his new characters and new books coming out.  All he would say about them is that they’re “completely nutty.”