In this winsome offering for new readers, Pete is hopelessly smitten by Bunny, the new girl in school. He stares at her, dreams about her, and finally takes action: he sits next to her on the bus. When their classmates start chanting "Pete likes Bunny," Pete is completely embarrassed and fears Bunny will never like him. His mother suggests a timeless solution: take Bunny flowers. Pete follows through, only to find that Bunny has made him cookies. This establishes them as a couple, and when the other kids take up their "Bunny likes Pete, Pete likes Bunny" refrain, the two don't mind cause it's true. The simple illustrations align delightfully with the oversize text. Pete, our protagonist, is a pig, and Bunny is, well, a bunny. Other classmates include sheep, cats, dogs, and a mouse. Facial expressions and body language reflect a typical elementary-school social scene, adding humor and reinforcing the book's gentle message about doing your own thing. This will encourage new readers and be fun for storytime.

K-Gr 2 This early reader takes place in a classroom where the students and teacher are animals. Mrs. Pooch introduces the class to a new student, Bunny, who is assigned a seat next to Pete, who is a pig. "Pete stares at Bunny. He cannot help it./Bunny is perfect!/He thinks about Bunny all the time." The next day, when Pete sits next to Bunny on the bus, kids taunt him and disrupt the class, saying, "Pete likes Bunny!" Pete's mom encourages him to pick flowers for Bunny, and Bunny gives Pete some homemade cookies. Now when the class sings about Pete liking Bunny, the duo don't mind, "because it's true." The mature theme of a sustained crush brings to mind James Marshall's Fox in Love , which features animal characters in a longer beginning reader format. McCully's text is far simpler, and her watercolor cartoon characters have a lot of charm. VERDICT Even kids who don't necessarily relate to the tender romance will appreciate the straightforward vocabulary, repetition, sight clues, and other elements that build fluency. A solid addition to most collections. Laura Scott, Farmington Community Library, MI