The Last Lemon by Alison Hawes is a Pink B band reader in the Cambridge Reading Adventures series, used for Nursery at Lahore Grammar School (LGS). On the cover, a big grey-blue elephant stands on a green hill beside a monkey, a goat and a mouse, under the title in lemon-yellow lettering. Tamara Anegon is credited for the illustrations.
It is a humorous story about a problem that is too big for one animal and just right for a team. In the 2027-28 session it gives your Nursery child a laugh and, without them noticing, a lesson in the difference between ‘can’ and ‘can’t’.
What happens in the book
According to the teaching notes, Elephant cannot reach the last lemon, so he gets help from his friends. The story builds up using three language structures repeated across several pages, which asks the reader to follow the meaning and notice how the words change. On page 2 the elephant says ‘I can’t get the last lemon.’ On page 4 the goat can help him, by getting on his back. On page 6 the question is whether the goat can reach the lemon, and what might help. Understanding the change between ‘can’ and ‘can’t’ is the key to reading this book.
The pages are well spaced, which helps a child match one spoken word to one printed word and sweep from one line to the next. The common words are ‘said’, ‘the’ and ‘I’, and the sounds are easy to blend in words like ‘can’ and ‘get’.
What your child learns from it
The publisher’s teaching notes list these learning outcomes. A child who reads this book can:
- understand that print carries meaning and is read from left to right and from top to bottom;
- read some high-frequency words and use phonics to work out simple words;
- show an understanding of the sequence of events (who helps, and then who).
How to read it together at home
The guided reading lesson printed in the book gives a simple routine you can follow:
- Read the title, then say: in this story the animals try to help each other to get the lemon.
- On page 2, ask why the elephant wants the lemon and why he cannot get it.
- On page 4, ask how the goat can help, and let your child guess before you turn the page.
- On page 6, ask what would help the goat reach, and check the first letter of each animal’s name.
- As your child reads alone, remind them to point to each word and to go back to the start of the line if it does not match.
Fun learning links beyond the book
For design and technology, the idea of building a tall tower links neatly with the story. Children can explore making towers with blocks, boxes or paper cups, and discuss why the tallest ones fall. The notes also say other Pink B titles in the series can be used to practise reading two lines of text on a page.
About the Pink B band
Pink B is the second step of Cambridge Reading Adventures. According to the publisher, books at this level have about 30 to 60 words, colourful illustrations and plenty of repetition to help word recognition.
Who, when, where and why
Whom: Nursery children (about four years old). When: during the 2027-28 session. Where: at school, at home, wherever there is a lap and ten minutes. Why: it makes children laugh while teaching reading habits. Most LGS campuses use the same books, though a few follow their own list in some subjects. Tell us your child’s campus on WhatsApp and we will check before the parcel leaves.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main idea?
Friends working together to get something none of them could reach alone.
Is it fiction?
Yes, it is a humorous story.
What band is it?
Pink B band.
You can order The Last Lemon online today. We ship across Pakistan on Cash on Delivery, and families in Lahore can also pick it up from our shop. For overseas delivery (Gulf countries), message us on WhatsApp.
