Snack Attack (Ready to Read Series: Level 1) Book

A cat and a rat in a shack -- ham and jam, what a treat, smack, smack! Both cat and rat agree -- it's time for a snack attack!

Children's Literature

Fact-paced action in an easy-to-read format make every element of this book a sure winner, except for the rat. Using word and sound repetition, Krensky pits rat against cat with the prize of a tasty and monstrous-sized snack. Curtis creates two characters with humorous expressions that draw in the novice reader. Tension mounts as the rat connives to attack the plan-ahead feline. Predictions of the outcome propel the reader to keep moving, which is, after all, the goal of any care-taker who wants a child to thrill to the written word. Onomatopoeia and punctuation rise up with "Dash!" "Clash!" "Smash!" and finally "Crash!" resulting in a realistic ending to a slam-bang story. Adults may not be surprised when the small one wants to "read it all over again," now that the ending is already known, with the audience being wiser than both animals. This Level 1 book, written in simple story format incorporates longer sentences and more challenging vocabulary than Pre-Level 1, building confidence and delight in the newly discovered art of making sense out of words. A second step in the "Ready-To-Read" series, this tale promises to be a favorite. Paired with classics like The Cat in the Hat or Green Eggs and Ham, this book provides caretakers an opportunity to make a party of reading with the conclusion celebrated by serving real sandwiches as a treat. Reviewer: Janice DeLong