A pie for us!

PreS-Gr 1--In this early reader, a dog named Sniff and a cat named Scratch explore their world with laugh-out-loud results. Their first adventure involves a pie in the kitchen, the second features a cardboard box, and the third centers on a new addition to the house that confuses the two pets. Beginning readers will confidently read the high frequency words and learn new vocabulary, including yummy, stuck, and scratches. The text is simple and follows a pattern, with most sentences having six words or fewer. Leal's full-page cartoon illustrations vibrantly showcase Sniff and Scratch's story. Speech bubbles add to the reading appeal, similar to Mo Willems's "Elephant and Piggy" series. VERDICT It is not easy to find engaging stories at very beginning reading levels, and this one stands out for all the right reasons. Highly recommended.--Heidi Dechief