The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book one hundred and sixty-nine

When my daughter was very little she decided that she wanted an elephant birthday paty. She was going to invite elephants to her party, and then all the children would ride on the elephants "all day long." Needless to say, this elephant party did not take place. There was a clown instead. This did not stop her from deciding the following year that she would have her party on a train.

In today's picture book you will meet a little girl who, like so many young children (including my own) have fabulous birthday party plans.

The best birthday party ever

Jennifer LaRue Huget

Illustrate by LeUyen Pham

Picture Book

For ages 4 to 7

Random House, 2011, 978-0-375-84763-9

   In just five months, three weeks, two days, and eight hours a little girl will be celebrating her birthday, and she is very very keen to start planning her party. She is determined that “it is going to be the best birthday party ever.” She is going to make her own invitations and she is going to invite fifty-seven friends as well as sundry other people.

   On D minus four months, two weeks, five days, and seven hours, the little girl announces that she is going to have nine thousand pink balloons at her party, and everyone will have bowls of ice cream (seven scoops) and all the toppings that they could ever want.

   The closer her birthday gets, the more outrageous this little girl’s plans become. She wants a cake that is the tallest cake in the world. She wants to have two magicians and all the girl guests will get to wear “a real tiara.” The little girl decides that each child will get a hamster as a party favor. There will be a castle with a moat, camels and pony rides. She expects to gets congratulatory letters from the President of the United States and the Queen of England. There will be flybys, a parade, and fireworks. How is this little girl going to cope when she finds out that she is not going to get the grand party that she is concocting in her imagination?

   Little children who have GRAND plans for their birthday parties will really appreciate this amusing picture book. Grownups will laugh out loud as the little girl’s plans get more and more elaborate, and everyone is sure to be amused by the clever ending.