The best birthdays in children's books
It’s Readings’ 47th birthday on Saturday 5 March, and to celebrate we’re offering our customers the chance to win a $500 Readings gift voucher! And if you’re looking for birthday inspiration, here are some of our favourite birthdays in picture books.
A Birthday for Bear by Bonny Becker and Kady MacDonald Denton
Bear does not like birthdays. He doesn’t like parties or balloons, cards or candles. In fact, Bear does not like anything to do with birthdays at all. He would much rather spend his birthday alone cleaning his house, but Mouse, small and grey and bright-eyed, has other ideas.
Angelina’s Birthday by Katharine Holabird and Helen Craig
It’s Angelina’s birthday and there’s going to be a party. But when Angelina breaks her bike while racing her best friend, Alice, she thinks the day is ruined. There is, however, a solution to the problem and Angelina’s birthday turns out to be the happiest – and the most surprising – one ever.
A Birthday for Cow! by Jan Thomas
Pig and Mouse are hard at work baking the best birthday cake ever for Cow. But it would be a lot easier if Duck weren’t hanging around, yammering on about turnips or some nonsense. With all this silliness going on, how will they manage to throw Cow a spectacular birthday party?
On the Day You Were Born by Margaret Wild and Ron Brooks
An old bear tells a young bear how his father introduced him to the world, and the young bear does the same for his own child. This beautiful picture book from the acclaimed partnership of Margaret Wild and Ron Brooks is a glorious celebration of family and new life.
Fancy Nancy and the Butterfly Birthday by Jane O'Connor and Robin Preiss Glasser
Nancy thinks butterflies are simply exquisite, and that is why she can’t wait to go to her friend Bree’s Butterfly Birthday! But when Nancy finds out she can’t go because her grandparents’ fiftieth anniversary party is the same day, she is furious. How will she overcome this disappointment?
Hooray! There’s a Hippopotamus on Our Roof Having a Birthday Party by Hazel Edwards and Deborah Niland
Join that pesky hippopotamus on a roof eating cake and his friends for a jungle-inspired celebration full of games and lots of jungle-party treats!
Happy Birthday, Madame Chapeau by Andrea Beaty and David Roberts
Madame Chapeau is on her way to her birthday dinner when a crow snatches her perfect bonnet off her head, and flies away with it. Everyone around offers their own hats for her to wear but none of them are quite right – until one little girl offers her a very special hat.
It’s My Birthday by Helen Oxenbury
What could be better than sharing a birthday cake with the friends who helped to bake it? In this whimsical, cumulative birthday tale, a host of generous friends helps a small child assemble the ingredients for a delicious cake.
Happy Birthday to You! by Dr Seuss
Discover all of the wonderful things that children get up to on their birthdays in the imaginary land of Katroo. Introducing a host of zany creatures and wacky situations, this charming tale was first published in 1959.
