Anna thinks the boy in the cowboy hat looks silly—but he's the only one who can save the day in this Guided Reading Level F story.

It's a beautiful day! Anna and her toy dog, Toto, are all set to visit the beach, where the girl will teach her pup to swim.  Toto is a quick learner, and Anna is having fun—until a wave pushes the floating toy far out into the ocean.

No one knows how to save Toto—except for the boy in the cowboy hat, who leaps into action to lasso the wayward dog!  Maybe he's not so silly after all.
This richly-illustrated story about friendship and first impressions is perfect for young readers just beginning to tackle more complex sentence structures.  The bright, charming artwork adds humorous detail—from Toto's tiny wheels to the Cowboy's aura of mystery—and helps support understanding of the text. 

The award-winning I Like to Read® series focuses on guided reading levels A through G, based upon Fountas and Pinnell standards.  Acclaimed author-illustrators--including winners of Caldecott, Theodor Seuss Geisel, and Coretta Scott King honors—create original, high quality illustrations that support comprehension of simple text and are fun for kids to read with parents, teachers, or on their own!

Level F books, for early first graders, feature longer, more varied sentences than Level E. Level F books encourage kids to decode new multi-syllable words in addition to recognizing sight words.  Stories are more complex, and illustrations provide support and additional detail. When Level F is mastered, follow up with Level G. * "It's rare to find a real story in a book that brand-new readers can tackle alone—Anna and Toto and the cowboy certainly deliver."—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
 
"A gentle and subtly humorous story of finding friends in unexpected places."—Publishers Weekly
 
"Boldly colored, black-outlined illustrations add drama and depth to a narrative that highlights a new friendship."—The Horn Book