Treasure map / The adventure friends

K-Gr 2--Grade school neighbors Miguel and Clarke share a love for exploration. Miguel is familiar with his town; but for Clarke, who just moved in, the streets are new. "I need to know how to get around my new neighborhood," she explains to Miguel. So, with walkie-talkies, a compass, drawing paper, and pencils, the two friends follow the lines on the compass around their neighborhood, drawing a map of every building, river, and park they find. Sustained by eating trail mix that they call "adventure fuel," the two enjoy a series of adventures, from devising code names to use over their walkie-talkies and digging for buried treasure to following musical cues to the ice cream truck, where they obtain two cones in exchange for the "treasure" they uncovered. Vibrant, warm illustrations are rendered in full-color artwork by prolific illustrator Félix, concept artist/matte painter for Disney's Pixar Coco: A Live-to-Film Concert Experience. Todd (Tou-Can't!: A Little Sister Story) crafts an enjoyable story within four short chapters. VERDICT This book can be used as part of lessons on mapmaking and using a compass. Pair with similar titles, such as Kari Allen's The Boy Who Loved Maps and the "Map Skills for Today" series.--Monica Fleche

Who's ready for an adventure? When Clarke, a young girl with tan skin and short brown hair, moves to Ventureton, her new neighbor Miguel, a boy with light brown skin and black hair, welcomes her. The two hit it off immediately and exchange gifts: Miguel comes prepared to make a friend and brings a walkie-talkie, and Clarke improvises by giving Miguel a compass. In their first official adventure as a pair, Miguel helps Clarke make a map of the area so she knows where things are in her neighborhood. Along the way, Miguel learns about the points on a compass. Soon, he becomes convinced that Clarke's map is really a treasure map--and the duo follow it to an ultimately delicious conclusion. The story, broken into four short chapters, is simple but exciting enough to keep new readers invested in seeing where it leads. The text also includes enough reach words--treasure, adventure, railroad-crossing--to make educators and caregivers happy. The illustrations are bright and engaging, if somewhat undistinguished. The book doesn't contain a vocabulary list to help remind readers of words and phrases they may have learned. Instead, a guide that "teaches" them to draw Clarke is included but provides little useful instruction. Overall, though, the hits outnumber the misses, making this a fun and helpful tool for intrepid readers. Young adventure-seekers will be pleased. (Early reader. 6-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.