On a bright sunny day, Pat helps her father clean his van and Nat takes his cat out for a ride in his red cart. But things change quickly when the cat grabs Pat’s cleaning rag and runs. Giggles bubble up as children read about the chase to retrieve the rag. When Pat manages to grab her rag, she shames the cat. The vibrant and detailed illustrations clearly communicate the emotions and reactions of the characters. The advanced reader stimulates discussion points on responsibility, anger, and understanding that the cat wasn’t misbehaving but playing a game with the rag.

Ben and Jen’s cat scares their hen when she tries to play, sending the hen scurrying to the safety of her chicken pen. This charming story in an advanced easy reader set on a farm opens with a bang of excitement and unfolds with short words and plenty of context clues to create a love of reading. Ben removes his cat from the chicken pen, milks the cow, and gives the milk to the cat. Jen quiets the hen and tells her they love her and all ends well.