Dokas provides a mystery for the youngest set to unravel. Today is Muriel’s birthday. As the duck walks around town delivering invitations to her party, her red sweater slowly disappears. Sharp-eyed children will notice that all of Muriel’s friends are aquiring things they need—Beaver, some rope to tie his logs together; Rabbit, some shoelaces; Squirrel, a jump rope; Owl, a kite string; Hedgehog, a balloon string; Otter, a leash for his pet frog—all in the nicest shade of red. In the end, Muriel gets exactly what she needs, in a package tied with red string, this time in a fetching shade of blue. Repeated readings will allow children to search for the gift accouterments that each friend contributes. The text is separated into two sections—a yellow, highlighted box features brief narration, while the dialogue is in a larger font directly on the page. Young children will easily identify with Pons’s anthropomorphized animals. Her lively watercolors make it easy for even the youngest children to seek and find the hidden details. A pleasure for honing observation skills. (Picture book. 3-6)
