Birthday Presents
Paul Stewart, Chris Riddell
Paperback
(Scholastic, Inc., Aug. 16, 1999)
This is a book about being happy with what you have. "The Birthday Presents" is Paul Stewart's short but sweet tale about two pals, a rabbit and a hedgehog, and how they go about trying their darndest to pick the most wonderful possible birthday gifts for each other. Deciding that Rabbit's hole is just a mite dark, Hedgehog bottles up a bunch of moonlight. Simultaneously, Rabbit worries that Hedgehog might be bothered by the sunlight while sleeping out in the open--so he packs up a mossy box of darkness. Of course the pals are disappointed when they open their gifts, but they later figure out on their own the good wishes behind each gift--and the best way to put the gifts to real, everyday use. Any small child can begin to learn from this book the secret of choosing to be happy with what you have, instead of worrying about what you don't have, and parents and kids alike will get a kick out of Chris Riddell's vivid illustrations.
K