I look upon Balme & Lawall's introductory classical Greek text, Athenaze, as a single work that happens to be published in two volumes. Nothing expresses my feelings about Book II better than my review of Book I, which I have duplicated below (with some minor adjustments):

Good old Dicaeopolis! Lazy Xanthias! Brave Philip! How we students enjoyed snickering at the "Dick and Jane" approach to classical Greek that is to be found in this introductory text, and what an effective teaching tool it turned out to be...

This was the book used in the beginning Greek class I took in college, Book I the first semester, and Book II the second. Each unit contains a list of vocabulary, a text in Greek, a Word Study, a section on Grammar, and a list of exercises. Taken sequentially, the texts tell the story of Attic farmer Dicaeopolis and his family, living in Greece at the beginning of the Peloponnesian War. Interspersed throughout are various passages explaining some of the cultural background of the story. This second volume has 15 units, each divided into two lessons. The book also contains a reference grammar at the back , a brief dictionary, and an index.

These books are ideally suited, I think, for introducing students to this ancient language. They allow one to jump into textual passages right from the beginning, even though very little grammar or vocabulary has been learned. While I can think of any number of things more interesting than Dicaeopolis digging stones out of a field, it would be impossible to jump right into Homer, Plato, or any of the other greats. Nor would it be especially pleasant to spend an entire year doing nothing but memorizing lists of vocabulary and tables of grammar paradigms. Here is a noble compromise: and though my classmates and I may have groaned, I look back now with nostalgic fondness. ( )

I always remember this book fondly, the sequel to the story of Dicaeopolis the farmer, which finally begins to bring in some more genuinely historic textual material. The classic Ancient Greek text book. ( )