When shopkeeper Mr. Gruber takes a day off, Paddington Bear and his friends Jonathan and Judy accompany him to a large park. They share a picnic by the lake before making their way to the bandstand, where a band is playing the Surprise Symphony. Soon Paddington wanders off. While exploring a little room beneath the stage, he becomes trapped and bangs on the ceiling. The conductor opens a trapdoor, helps the bear climb out, and lets him conduct the band and take a bow. It's a surprise ending to the symphony and the story, but quite in keeping with the gentle, genial humor of the original Paddington books. From the venerable I Can Read! series, this volume features large type, short sentences, and a simple story. Reflecting the tone of the narrative, Alley's attractive line-and-wash illustrations include lively settings with a number of visual clues for struggling readers. A winsome choice for young independent readers who enjoy familiar characters in their books.