Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday!

Examines the historical beliefs, traditions, and celebrations associated with birthdays. From School Library Journal PreSchool-Grade 1 Gibbons briefly examines the origins of several birthday celebration traditions: cake, candles, wishes, and gifts. She also explains birth-month good luck symbols, such as birthstones, flowers, colors, and astrological signs. The illustrations are her trademark: bright, busy, and colorful drawings. However, the book is not as cogent as some of Gibbons' others; introductory material is a bit repetitive, and the ending is abrupt. There is one gramatical error, and Gibbons writes that "Some people plant a tree. . .in memory of the special day," when she actually means honor . Some children from poorer homes may question Gibbons' assumption that everyone has a birthday celebration every year. Candles, Cakes, and Donkey Tails (Houghton, 1984) by Lila Perl provides a more in-depth look at the same subject but is for older readers. As there is nothing else available to explain these customs to younger audiences, and the illustrations are cheerful and eye-catching, Happy Birthday! could be an adequate supplement for birthday storytimes. Jeanette Larson, Mesquite Public Library, Tex.Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.