Today is the Birthday of the World

March 16, 2009
Creatures large and small—from a bee to an elephant—“pass before God” in this picture book with gentle ecological and moral overtones. One by one, God questions each animal about its actions during the previous year. To the giraffe, “Did you eat the highest leaves on the tree,/ Happy that I'd chosen you to make a path for the sun?”; to the cow, “Did you give your milk each day,/ Happy that I'd chosen you to feed so many children?” Extra spreads are devoted to a child who plants seeds, creates a painting, shares toys and plays (“This year, little child, my dear little child,/ Were you the best little child that you could be?” God asks). Heller's (The Castle on Hester Street
) repeating form lends the soothing tone of a lullaby, well-matched by Jay's (Welcome to the Zoo!
) bucolic scenes, their crackled surfaces playing up the feeling that animals have carried out their respective duties over the course of ages. Readers will be left feeling connected to the larger world, as one of the “dear little helpers” God praises. Ages 3–5.

June 1, 2009
K-Gr 2-The simple premise of this picture book is that God has created everyone to fulfill a purpose, and that they should be the best they can be. On each spread, God queries a different creature, culminating with a child. "This year, little giraffe, my dear little giraffe, /Did you eat the highest leaves on the tree, /Happy that I'd chosen you to make a path for the sun?/]Were you the best little giraffe that you could be?" At the end, God waits for a resounding and unanimous "Yes," and rewards the creatures with the world at its best. Jay uses oil paint on paper with a crackle varnish to add an antique appearance to the muted pastels. The people and animals are stylized depictions, with unnaturally small feet that add to their charm. Once the narrative conceit is established, the story loses some of its momentum to predictability, though it is revived by its treatment of people's greater responsibility to one another and the final listing of God's creations' accomplishments and place in the world. Match this title with Pattie Schnetzler's "Earth Day Birthday" (Dawn, 2004) and Linda Glaser's "Our Big Home" (Millbrook, 2000) for an Earth appreciation day any day of the year."Lisa Egly Lehmuller, St. Patrick's Catholic School, Charlotte, NC"

Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2009
Preschool-K God is the voice in this whimsical picture book that imagines a celebration of the worlds birthday. In an affectionate address to each animal, from a giraffe to a cow, God points out everyones unique gifts and the ways that each contributes to the worlds well-being, whether it is the bee who spreads pollen, the cow who provides milk to feed children, or the tiny worm: Did you tunnel about, / Happy that Id chosen you to bring rain underground? Gods final words are aimed at a child: Did you laugh and have fun, / Happy that Id chosen you to lift the worlds spirit? The loving words, organized into rhymed couplets that scan easily, partner well with the glowing, colorful illustrations that show a smiling Earth populated with fancifully oversized animals. Shifts in scale and perspectives, which move from intimate close-ups to expansive vistas, add to the visual playfulness. Together, the text and art create an inspirational, whimsical offering that emphasizes kindness, individual purpose, and the interconnections among all beings.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)