Min, the resourceful elephant protagonist of Min Makes a Machine (2018) and 3, 2, 1, Go! (2015), is back in this new addition to the I Like To Read series for emergent readers.Young elephants Ann and Bess are putting on a show in the forest, but they won't allow Min to be in it. When an overnight storm topples a tree in the clearing where the show is set to take place, only Min knows what to do. With Min directing the other girls, the trio devise a solution to move the heavy tree out of the way so that the show can go on-with a new addition to the cast. This installment includes all the hallmarks of previous I Like To Read titles. The text is very short and uses sentences of just three to nine words. The vocabulary is simple, with repetition of several words and phrases providing opportunities for readers to gain proficiency; however, the exact same words appear on two consecutive spreads, causing a hiccup in the narrative flow. The three elephants, decked out in colorful stripes, polka dots, hats, and hair bows, are charmingly rendered in the illustrations but challenging to differentiate. Unfortunately, missed opportunities to use page turns effectively coupled with the thin plot make the story rather lackluster. Additionally, although the device the girls build is clever, there is no textual explanation of how it works or vocabulary identifying its parts.A functional early reader, but the engineering aspect of this "girl engineer story" feels lacking. (Early reader. 5-7)

PreS-Gr 2 Min, the clever elephant protagonist of 3, 2, 1, Go! and Min Makes a Machine is back in this new addition to the "I Like To Read" series. As in the previous stories, older elephant girls Ann and her friend Bess exclude Min, not allowing her to participate in their show when she asks to join them. When a storm drops a large tree on the elephants' outdoor stage, Ann and Bess cannot move the enormous trunk and decide to cancel their play. Undeterred, Min designs and builds a simple crane, saving the show and joining the older elephant girls in the performance. Concise sentences that are perfect for beginning readers accompany McCully's cartoonish pen, ink, and watercolor illustrations. The underlying STEM theme lends itself to a lesson about pulleys and problem solving.VERDICT An appealing addition to this easy reader series, this is enjoyable as a stand-alone as well. Yelena Voysey, formerly at Pickering Educational Lib., Boston Univ.