ALA Booklist (Mon Mar 01 00:00:00 CST 2004)

Reviewed with David McPhail's Rick Is Sick .PreS-Gr. 1. Very early readers, like these Level 1 books from the Green Light Readers series, have the challenge of turning a few words into a story that will pique children's interest. Both these offerings accomplish just that; the texts may be brief, but they will propel kids into reading. In Rick, Bunny Jack comes to play with Rick the bear, but Rick is in bed. Jack helps with a cup of tea and a bag of ice, and when it's time for a nap, they take one together. In Box, Todd and his mother are taking a walk. Mom tells Todd to stop picking up things, but he doesn't listen. At the end of the story, he gives her a box of the treasures that he collected. The pictures add to the books' appeal, and there are several other useful features, including activities such as making a friendship medal. Although the questions that follow the stories take some of the fun away, these are still bright choices for beginners.

Horn Book (Sun Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2004)

Todd's mother pesters him to keep up during their walk through the park. When he presents her with a box of park artifacts (e.g., leaves, a pine cone, an acorn) he has collected, she is thrilled. A more charming story couldn't have been crafted from sixty-four simple words, and Westcott's art in springtime hues is effervescent. The book ends with "Think about It" questions and two activities.

School Library Journal

K-Gr 1-Two appealing easy-readers. In the first book, Jack (a rabbit) tries to help his sick friend Rick (a bear) feel better. Then, after all his efforts, Jack finds that he needs a nap and crawls into bed with his friend. Ink-and-watercolor drawings are expressive and full of sight clues. With friendship as its overall theme, this is a winning title for character-development units. In the second book, a boy keeps getting distracted by the things he sees on a walk through the park. Todd's mother is clearly in a hurry and scolds each time he runs off to pick up something else. Once they are on their bus, he hands her a box full of treasure that he has gathered for her and she is delighted. Cartoonlike, bright black ink and pastel paintings accompany the easy text. Both books include enrichment activities that readers can replicate with minimal help.-Christine E. Carr, Lester C. Noecker Elementary School, Roseland, NJ Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.