Fall Reading 2017 Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday belongs in that group of comforting books like The Runaway Bunny. The swirling backgrounds and the simple, uncluttered illustrations are soothing and easy on the eyes. The sparse text keeps the pages clean and uncluttered in their presentation. The whole creates an homey effect of simplicity. The narrative is a chronological account of a baby's birth and growth, showing milestones such as rolling over, walking, and running. The family dog and cat are included in some illustrations, and the mother appears on a few pages, but the focus is on the child. The message that the child has been loved from the beginning and always will be, "It doesn't matter how far you go; I will love you. Always."

The subdued palette of the background seems to encircle and cocoon the baby or child that appears on each page. And the cat seems patient with the baby rolling over and hugging it, while the dog is ready to play with its tail wagging at the crawling tot. Each scene is reassuring and warm. Some school libraries may have parent concerns over the page showing the baby nursing at a bare breast; they will have to take their community into account when deciding to order the book, but the image is tastefully done. 

This is a book that parents can read with children, give as a birthday gift, and it can become a treasured keepsake through the years.

I read an e-book provided by the publisher through NetGalley.