Preschoolers will be delighted with the visual mayhem, although parents may cringe at the quantity of junk food depicted.
Using similar photographic treatment and subject matter developed in his earlier picture book, Peanut Butter and Cupcake (2014), Border follows the journey of the eponymous heroine in her search for the perfectly themed birthday party.
During a walk with her friend Muffin, she muses on the theme that would best suit all of her friends. A beach party is out, because “the beach is so hot, and some of us might get drippy.” A boat ride is risky too, because “if the ship rocks, Soup might lose his lunch.” Musical chairs would be dangerous because the softer friends might get squished. Moreover, Cupcake herself is ill-equipped to limbo. During the discussion, the friends arrive at Muffin’s house, where… “Surprise!!!” All the friends are gathered for a surprise party. Even though they do get drippy and a little squished, it is still the best birthday party that anyone can remember. As in his earlier picture book, Border’s characters are skillfully crafted food items with basic wire limbs arranged in simple landscapes. Visual puns abound: a pat of butter with wings attached (Butterfly, geddit?). There’s no stinting on the gross factor; everyone gets spilled and sticky in true toddler fashion; in one double-page spread, Hamburger’s frosting-and-sprinkles makeover is lovingly depicted.
Preschoolers will be delighted with the visual mayhem, although parents may cringe at the quantity of junk food depicted. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: July 7, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-399-17160-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: March 31, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2015
Familiarity breeds a birthday for the ages in this party worth attending.
Don’t let the Pigeon ruin his own special day!
Anyone who has ever encountered the title character in any of his books—whether his first, Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus (2003), or one of its many sequels—will understand that the bird’s innate self-love drives his every interaction. Little wonder, then, that he’s thrilled about his own “bird-day.” He has the hat. He has his “FANCY PLUMAGE.” And, best of all, he will get to blow out a candle “on my bird-day hot dog!” As he revels in the knowledge that this day is all for him, comeuppance is lurking. Someone has already blown out the bird-day candle—and eaten half the hot dog. It turns out that the Pigeon’s frenemy, the Duckling, has the same bird-day—as do a slew of newly hatched chicks. The Pigeon’s obligatory eight-panel freakout ensues. “What am I—invisible? I just want to be seen,” he whimpers, and when he receives some much-needed reassurance, he settles down and willingly shares his special day. While the switch from unapologetic narcissism to mature acceptance happens in the record-breaking span of two pages, the book is as enchanting as the Pigeon’s earlier outings. Even as it walks in the footsteps of its predecessors, there’s no denying the fun to be had.
Familiarity breeds a birthday for the ages in this party worth attending. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 31, 2026
ISBN: 9781454999621
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Review Posted Online: Nov. 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.
A ghost longs to be scary, but none of the creepy personas she tries on fit.
Misty, a feline ghost with big green eyes and long whiskers, wants to be the frightening presence that her haunted house calls for, but sadly, she’s “too cute to be spooky.” She dons toilet paper to resemble a mummy, attempts to fly on a broom like a witch, and howls at the moon like a werewolf. Nothing works. She heads to a Halloween party dressed reluctantly as herself. When she arrives, her friends’ joyful screams reassure her that she’s great just as she is. Sadler’s message, though a familiar one, is delivered effectively in a charming, ghostly package. Misty truly is too precious to be frightening. Laberis depicts an endearingly spooky, all-animal cast—a frog witch, for instance, and a crocodilian mummy. Misty’s sidekick, a cheery little bat who lends support throughout, might be even more adorable than she is. Though Misty’s haunted house is filled with cobwebs and surrounded by jagged, leafless trees, the charming characters keep things from ever getting too frightening. The images will encourage lingering looks. Clearly, there’s plenty that makes Misty special just as she is—a takeaway that adults sharing the book with their little ones should be sure to drive home.
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Aug. 13, 2024
ISBN: 9780593702901
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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