Mac and Cheese

K-Gr 1—Macaroni and Cheese may be best friends, but the two street cats couldn't be more different in their likes and dislikes. A day in his paw prints reveals that Macaroni will eat anything and simply loves "bouncing, pouncing, flipping." Puzzled, he levels with his friend—"I like to flip and skip and sing, but Cheese, you don't like anything." Quiet and fastidious Cheese truthfully replies, "The only thing I like to do is sit here quietly with you." As an errant gust of wind steals Mac's very blue and very flat hat, Cheese proves he's more than a do-nothing grump in order to get it back. This book is a Level 1 addition to the series. Correspondingly, the simple sentences with ample white space suit the brief snippets of rhyming dialogue between the two characters, and brightly colored watercolor illustrations of the feline alley friends reveal expressions ranging from Mac's sheer glee to Cheese's exasperated disgust. Simplicity of text, action illustrated to lead readers in turning the page, and a satisfying conclusion makes this easy reader a solid selection for all libraries.—Mary Elam, Learning Media Services Plano ISD, TX