The simplicity of both illustrations and text make it best suited to very young readers.  The illustrations are both sweet and artsy in their simplicity.  The story tells of a girl who gets on a bus with a red balloon, but accidentally let it go.  The bus continues on, picking up a variety of animals, each of whom is asked if they’ve seen the balloon.  Just when they reach it, a bird pops it, but the group cheers up when they notice the bright red setting sun, which looks like another red balloon, which they will get to see again tomorrow.