James likes to play in the backyard, pretending he’s off on amazing adventures as a superhero, a warrior, an astronaut! One day he follows a trail of ants disappearing through a gap in the fence and finds himself on a new adventure. The Ant King is a journey-and-return story, with a simple plot and the child in charge. In a classroom setting the clear story structure would lend itself to activities with story maps, sequencing and retelling. An early childhood audience might enjoy acting out parts of the story: pretending to squeeze through a fence, march in a line, row a boat, and clap and cheer. Bright cartoon-style illustrations reflect the action in the text, which will be a helpful aid for newly independent readers.