Birthday Rules by Laurie Friedman

Do you know how to PROPERLY celebrate your birthday?  Do you follow the rules?  Percy Isaac Gifford is ready to explain how to celebrate your birthday so you won't forget!  From the birthday cheer to being sure to watch your wish list, Percy has all the necessary guidelines to enjoy your day.  Funny text matches the fun illustration for a perfect balance of fun.  Obviously a great gift for your favorite birthday "kid" coming birthday!


Text:  4 Buckeye Leaves
Illustration:  5 Buckeye leaves

Boa's Bad Birthday by Jeanne Willis

It is Boa's birthday and he super excited to celebrate with his friends AND of course, see the great gifts they bring him.  Orangutan brings him an ENORMOUS gift....what could it be?  A piano!?!?!  Ummmm, but snake has no fingers!  Boa guesses the NEXT gift he receives will be better.  Monkey brings him a much smaller gift, sunglasses.  Wait.  How can Boa wear these?  He does not have a nose OR ears!  This birthday is NOT turning out how Boa had hoped....and it is not over yet.  Boa's gifts are all "rubbish" until dung beetle arrives.  What could this gift be?  Will this gift be better than the others?  Kids will be amused by Boa's books, and how impractical the gifts are that Boa receives from his friends. 

Text:  5 Buckeye leaves

Illustrations:  5 Buckeye leaves 

Pip & Squeak by Ian Schoenherr

Pip and Squeak (2 mice) are headed to celebrate Gus's birthday day! Of course it is snowing so they will need a "sled", also known as an envelope. They are well on their way when they realize they forgot the "gift", also known as cheese! Rather than going home they decide to look along the way. Finally they come upon a snowman with an orange nose....cheese? They finally arrive at Gus's party but will he like the "cheese"? First look at this book may lead one to think this is a book for the very young - the text is short and simple. However the shortness of the text requires lots of "filling in" by the reader. Adam and I had a great laugh at the end of the story as well - Gus very much likes his "cheese".....because he is a rabbit!! Illustrations are super cute!!

Text: 4 Buckeye leaves

Illustrations: 5 Buckeye leaves (Adorable)

The Little Bitty Bakery by Leslie Muir

"At the Little Bitty Bakery, the pastry chef was beat - from her powder-sugar nose to her flour-dusted feet."
And it is HER birthday! As she shuffled off to bed, so tired from the day, she is so very sad that noone celebrated. But while she drifted off to sleep, some tiny bakers arrived in the Little Bitty Bakery, and started prepping a special surprise. Before long a sound awakens her.
"She tiptoed down the staircase, as quiet as a cat - clutched a day-old stick of bread just like a baseball bat."
Much to the baker's surprise, she finds a yummy treat, a crumble jumble cake big enough to share with the mice bakers.
Cute book which may leave you wanting some yummy pastries.

Text:
Illustrations: 4 Buckeye leaves - I love the cover on this book! I think it is very inviting with the light coloring and yummy looking pastries....oh and the glitter helps too!

To go to Leslie Muir's site click here!

Birdie Books by Sujean Rim

I had not heard about these books until a parent donated one to one of my schools. Another perfect books for little girls!


In the first Birdie book, Birdie's Big-Girl Shoes, Birdie is wishing and hoping to get to wear her mother's fancy high heeled shoes. She loves the many different kinds of heeled shoes her mother has and imagines herself wearing the shoes. Finally after much begging her mother allows her to try her does on. It does not take long for Birdie to realize the heeled shoes are not nearly as fun as she thought they would be and actually hinder many of her daily "kid" activities. So Birdie decides on a new kind of footwear: her barefeet!



The newer Birdie book, Birdie's Big Girl Dress, Birdie is preparing for her birthday. She is very excited to dress up until she tries on her favorite party dress and realizes it is too small! Now what will she wear? Her mother takes her shopping but nothing seems to be the perfect dress for Birdie. Very disappointed, Birdie decides to try one last effort to find the perfect dress by going to the attic at home. In the attic she finds the perfect party dress by taking different things that belonged to her grandparents.

Both books are very cute for the little girl readers (though I read them twice to the 3 year old boy here before he decided they were "girl" books!). Very simple text, very simple pictures.

Happy Birthday, Hamster! by Cynthia Lord

We are VERY excited at our house tonight!!! We just happened to go to the library for some quick returns/pick ups and went to check NEW book section and there it was!!! All shiny and new!! The NEWEST installment from Hot Rod Hamster!!! Same characters, same great rhyme, but guess who is celebrating a birthday?? Hamster is pretty down because it seems none of his friends remembered his birthday! Dog has some shopping to do today so hamster tags along...from cake shop to toy store to card store and finally home to......well, you have to read to find out what SURPRISE hamster finds at home! Super cute....not sure we can wait until April for this one!

Text: 5 Buckeye Leaves
Illustrations: 5 Buckeye Leaves
Endpages: 5 Buckeye Leaves

The Best Birthday Ever! By Charise Mericle Harper

I love Charise Mericle Harper's CUPCAKE book so I was quite happy to find this book. The girls at both of my schools love her Fashion Kitty series so I am guessing this book will be quite popular as well! RIght off - I LOVE the endpages! Stripes, balloons, flowers, so cute! Lana Kittie(little sister to Fashion Kitty) is ready to celebrate her birthday! In HER book Lana Kittie explains 10 steps to having a great birthday celebration. I love Harper's journal like style with notes throughout the book. Cute book for birthday gift!

Story: 5 Buckeye leaves
Illustrations: 5 buckeye leaves