  | Full Text Reviews: School Library Journal - 07/01/2017 K-Gr 3—This cheerful nonfiction picture book explores birthday celebrations in a variety of countries. Ruurs showcases the cultural traditions of various children, including special clothing worn and the details of the festivities (food, games, special guests, etc.). The paper-cut illustrations are colorful and inviting but simple enough for small group read-alouds. There are tips for reading, helpful background information for parents and teachers, and follow-up activities. The short text passages are slightly challenging because of all the vocabulary words from other languages, but there is a glossary appended. The brevity of the prose will make this one a good choice for introductory conversations about cultural differences. VERDICT A fine addition to the geography and/or culture sections of children's libraries.—Debbie Tanner, S D Spady Montessori Elementary, FL - Copyright 2017 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Booklist - 08/01/2017 Early on, this colorful large-format book shows the faces and names of children surrounding a world map, while dotted lines connect the kids with their 14 homelands. On the spacious double-page spreads that follow, the children describe their birthdays or, in some cases, related celebrations. In Ghana, Maame tells of eating delicious meals, playing a favorite game with friends, and enjoying special favors such as a few coins from her aunt and a soft drink from her father. Athom explains that while birthdays are not usually celebrated in Cambodia, today his family celebrates Pro Kok Kun because Arunny, his sister, is now one month old. A monk blesses the baby, and relatives gather and dance at the party. Ruurs makes it clear that while there are similarities, different cultures view birthdays differently and celebrate them accordingly. Each two-page spread includes four sections of text and four or five pictures of the child and the celebrations. Created with cut-paper and digital elements, the brightly colored collages make this a cheerful, inviting introduction to birthdays. - Copyright 2017 Booklist. Loading...
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