SecondGrade Ape - Hello Reader, L4 Author:Daniel Pinkwater, Jill Pinkwater (Illustrator) Flash Fleetwood finds a very quiet gorilla which he names Phil, and, to the delight of the second grade students, their teacher Mrs. Hotdogbun says he may attend school along with them. — From Booklist — Gr. 2-3. The author's signature witty blend of fantasy and reality is nicely tailored to young readers in this entry in the Hello Reader! ser... more »ies. Thinking that the gorilla hiding in the bushes is a cat, Flash Fleetwood (appropriately named) takes it home, where he learns the truth. But the truth doesn't seem to matter much, and it isn't long before Phil the gorilla becomes an accepted part of the Fleetwood household, with comical results. The final scene, when Flash takes Phil to Miss Hotdogbun's class at school, is particularly funny. Lots of dialogue makes the abundant narrative seem less intimidating; the many illustrations also help by providing the reader with some nice reading breaks.« less