Welcome to the Banana Cafe, where the bakers are cartoonish, red-cheeked, smiling monkeys, and banana cupcakes are served up with a side of math. The book opens immediately to the importance of placement, first in letters with regard to words, and then in digits with regard to numbers, all while the busy bakers get cooking in the background. Adler then expands the discussion of place value from hundreds to hundred trillions. That's a lot of cupcakes! The text is informative, clear, and, most important, kid friendly, though the inclusion of 10 as a single digit is confusing. Place value charts are on almost every page to reinforce the lesson as each step of the baking process increases digits. Miller's lively, cheerful digital illustrations are fun without distracting from the math. Explaining something like place value can be dry, and some passages here might be a tad too long, but Adler and Miller add just enough frosting to this math cupcake to make it digestible. A useful addition to a public, school, or classroom library.

Gr 1-3 Introducing readers to the concept of place value, this text follows the monkeys of the Banana Cafe at 306 Monkey Lane as they bake a Colossal Banana Cupcake. Adler begins by establishing a connection between numbers and letters: similar to the alphabet, our numerical system is made up of a specific set of pieces (digits) that are used to make numbers. However, some letters, such as A, can stand by themselves as both a letter and word, and the same goes for numbers. As the monkeys begin to gather and combine the ingredients for the cupcake, Adler explains that the value of a digit is determined by its place in a number. Readers are introduced to the ones, tens, and hundreds positions; subsequent pages focus on higher values. Adler uses a money chart to clarify the use of the decimal point. Many key terms are in bold throughout, but the book lacks a glossary and additional resources. Miller's vibrant digitally created illustrations add humor, and the endpapers depict a brightly colored, eye-catching chart. VERDICT This fun and simple explanation of place value provides a strong introduction for young readers. Meaghan Darling, Long Hill Township Public Library, Gillette, NJ