Booklist Reviews
From the writer and illustrator of Stick and Stone? (2015), this picture book sets out the ground rules for an enduring ritual that begins in early childhood: making a birthday wish. Can there possibly be 10 rules? Why, yes: (1) Sometime near your birthday, (2) at a party, (3) with a dessert (quite possibly cake), (4) a candle is lit and (5) a song is sung. (6) Close your eyes, (7) take a deep breath, (8) make a wish, (9) blow out the flame with one breath, and, finally, (10) keep your wish a secret. While that may sound straightforward, Ferry ingeniously comes up with exceptions and amendments as she considers various silly scenarios that involve beasts, birds, bugs, and sea creatures attempting to follow the traditional birthday rules. Meanwhile, Lichtenheld illustrates the scenes with endearing animal characters and plenty of humor. The large-scale pictures show up very well from a distance, making this picture book a natural for sharing with groups of children. A treat that will make any birthday (or storytime) a little happier. Preschool-Grade 2. Copyright 2019 Booklist Reviews.
Horn Book Guide Reviews
There's no shortage of picture books about birthdays, but Ferry's ten "rules" for making the all-important birthday wish include silly loopholes, caveats, and digressions that should tickle both rule-followers and authority-questioners. It's a buoyantly told tale, and Lichtenheld's digitally enhanced pencil, watercolor, colored-pencil, and pastel illustrations featuring an all-animal cast capture the festive mood of a party where friends are in abundance and wishes always come true. Copyright 2019 Horn Book Guide Reviews.
Horn Book Magazine Reviews
There's no shortage of picture books about birthdays (see 2018 Boston Globe–Horn Book honoree When's My Birthday?, rev. 9/17, for a recent recommendation), but Ferry and Lichtenheld focus on one particular element: the birthday wish. The team behind Stick and Stone (rev. 3/15) presents ten "rules" to guide readers and listeners when making that all-important wish. "It must be your birthday…You must have a party…There must be singing." If it all sounds a little dull and prescriptive, don't worry—there are silly loopholes, caveats, and digressions throughout that should tickle both rule-followers and authority-questioners. When preparing to blow out the candles: "You must take a deep breath…Unless you are a puffer fish. If you are a puffer fish, definitely do NOT take a big breath, because then you will puff up and all your guests will be concerned." Lichtenheld's accompanying illustration shows a party-hat-wearing, breath-held, puffed-up puffer fish surrounded by worried undersea party guests. It's a buoyantly told tale, and the digitally enhanced pencil, watercolor, colored-pencil, and pastel illustrations featuring an all-animal cast (including a cameo by non-direction-following Moose from This Is a Moose) capture the festive mood of a party where friends are in abundance and wishes always come true. elissa gershowitz January/February 2019 p 76 Copyright 2018 Horn Book Magazine Reviews.
Kirkus Reviews
A happy count-up to a birthday wish. The opening page proclaims, "There are, / there most definitely are, / 10 / very specific, tried and true, / and absolutely essential / Rules For The Making of / a Birthday Wish." The ensuing spreads detail these rules, all delivered in an exuberant, humorous tone, as well as exceptions and modifications to those rules. For example, the second rule instructs, "You must have a PARTY!" at which balloons are recommended décor, unless "you are a rhinoceros, a swordfish, / a sea urchin, or pointy in any way." The accompanying illustrations show these "pointy" creatures popping said balloons with sound-effect "POP!"s and apologies of "oopsie," "sorry," and "my bad" issuing from their mouths. Every step up to and including the clever 10th rule, "Don't forget that ‘wish' ends in / ‘shhhhhh' / so keep your wish quiet, / silent, / hush-hush," is satisfyingly humorous and sure to gift readers with guffaws. Lichtenheld's art matches the text's humor on each spread, with anthropomorphic animal antics and a few human revelers, too. A spare moment at the sixth rule fearlessly embraces the white of the page as the text states "You must close your eyes," and art shows a sweep of lashes on either side of the gutter indicating closed eyes plus an embellishment of a flower to symbolize "something extraordinary" in a birthday wish. A gift of a book to open again and again. (Picture book. 3-7) Copyright Kirkus 2018 Kirkus/BPI Communications. All rights reserved.
Publishers Weekly Reviews
A series of animals demonstrate how to observe a birthday properly through 10 rules in this tale by the creators of
School Library Journal Reviews