A message in code starts Tim on an exciting treasure hunt through a dark cave, an underground tunnel and other strange places until he finds a happy surprise. Pattern recognition, matching shapes, following instructions, and simple map-reading are introduced to the very youngest readers.It's Tim's birthday. Instead of a package, Tim gets a mysterious letter -- written in code It begins: "When the moon comes up, look for the biggest star." Tim -- and the reader -- are off, following the clues. And at the end of the treasure hunt is a wonderful birthday surprise "Full-color pages, designed with cutout shapes, allow preschool children to fully participate in this enticing adventure." -- Publisher's Weekly'On the night before Tim's birthday, he finds a rebus note, a secret message directing him to his gift. Youngsters can read the note with him, then follow him up, down, and through the various-shaped, brightly colored die-cut] pages to find the puppy at the end. . . . 'A Very-First-Step-To-Learning Book' dealing with directional concepts.' --CE. 'On the night before Tim's birthday, he finds a rebus note, a secret message directing him to his gift. Youngsters can read the note with him, then follow him up, down, and through the various-shaped, brightly colored die-cut] pages to find the puppy at the end. . . . 'A Very-First-Step-To-Learning Book' dealing with directional concepts.' --CE.