When Bob, Dot, and Jan get their first big bikes, a sunny day is an invitation to take a bike ride and possibly forget to follow their parents’ safety instructions. The illustrations and creative dialogue remind children of experiences in their own lives. Bob’s excitement leads him to take risks on the steep hills littered with rocks. It’s not long before he falls and injures his knee, teaching him a valuable lesson. The story builds on previous reading skills and crafts educational opportunities for the early reader. This cautionary tale gives parents an opening to discuss safety rules and the ramifications of ignoring them.

Zig, Ken, Jill, and Zig their pet monkey, are off for a fabulous family mountain hike. As usual, Zig, creates mayhem trying to make friends with a group of skunks and tries to jump on the back of a large deer for a ride, but he redeems himself when he saves Jill from a big bug. The exceptionally well-illustrated facial expressions of these fanciful characters and other wildlife in this adventurous tale provides an excellent opportunity for parents to discuss the joy of family time as their early readers master more advanced reading skills.

Jan and Ted continue their fun at the farm in this delightful family tale. With their friends and parents, Jan and Ted play a spirited game of soccer and find themselves chasing goats when Ted forgets to lock the gate. Once the goats are safely returned to their pen, the children have fun riding ponies. The vivacious, amusing illustrations encourage word mastery and new reading skills.

Bob and Dot return and ride their bikes at the boat dock with their parents. Detailed, rich illustrations depict Bob and Dot using safety practices such as life jackets and locks for their bikes, and having fun learning about fish, feeding seagulls, and taking an exciting speedboat ride. Similar sounding words and longer sentences that build on previous stories in the Sommer advanced series create a fun-filled learning experience for the early reader and support the importance of exercise for a healthy lifestyle.