Mac persuades his crotchety pal Cheese to go on a trip to the beach, but they become so distracted with packing that they miss their bus. To ease Mac's disappointment, Cheese finds a way to bring the sea to them. The bouncy rhymes carrying the story along have a hint of Dr. Seuss; comical illustrations clearly express the cats' differing temperaments.

In this offering for emerging readers, Mac and Cheese, two cat friends, prove that opposites attract, even in the feline world. Cheese, a grumpy marmalade tabby, would rather sleep on his trashcan than join Mac for a day at the sea. The day is hot, the bus will be by soon and the only thing standing between the cats and the beach is a little preparation. Despite Mac's encouraging song (or perhaps because of it), Cheese does not want to go. When Mac agrees to stop singing, Cheese relents, sort of. Insisting a trip to the beach includes packing just about everything (food, clothing, toys, books, a boat), Cheese slows the process until the bus heads down the road and the friends are left behind. Though Mac's little song ("Please, Cheese, please, / Come to the sea, / Come to the sea, Cheese, / Please with me") does not trip easily off the tongue, the rest of the text is rhythmic, at times pleasantly reminiscent of Dr. Seuss, making it easy to read. Humorous watercolor illustrations, including full- and double-page spreads and such little details as allowing the whiskers and eyebrows to reflect feline feelings make this one new reader that will be eagerly read over and over. Please, let there be more adventures of Mac and Cheese, the Felix and Oscar of the early-reader world. (Early reader. 4-8)

K-Gr 1 Beginning readers will relate to the felines' conflict of interests and temperaments as Mac attempts to convince Cheese to leave their alley and take a trip to the beach. Cranky Cheese prefers to lounge in his garbage can but Mac is persistent, wearing down his friend's resistance by repeatedly singing a song. Mac packs milk and crackers, and Cheese takes "a hat,/some flip-flops, and a little mat./A ring. A rake./A fan. A cake./A pail. A cup./Mac packs it up." All of this packing makes them miss the bus to the beach but the story wraps up with a satisfying conclusion. Manning's colorful watercolor illustrations dramatically express the push and pull between these characters and take the grit out of the urban background. Two to four lines of text appear on each page with plenty of picture clues to help beginners decode the words and enjoy the story. A good choice for fans of Alyssa Satin Capucilli's "Biscuit" (HarperCollins) and Tedd Arnold's "Fly Guy" (Scholastic) books. Laura Scott, Farmington Community Library, MI