Bill's Bike The Hungry Little Monkey

K-Gr 1—Each book contains a preview of the vocabulary used in the story as well as a follow-up activity and suggestions for parents as they help their youngsters with reading comprehension. In the first book, Bill starts off with four wheels on his bike but finds that he only needs two. Next, a little monkey gets advice from the other animals on how to eat his banana ("Bite it!" "Suck it!" "Squeeze it!"), but the right answer eventually comes from his mother. The stories are gently funny with supportive illustrations that offer a solid structure within which kids can begin to read on their own. Where many beginning-reader series rely on stock photos and forgettable clip-artlike illustrations, these books offer characters with personality and scenes full of action.—Sarah Townsend, Norfolk Public Library, VA