The Bad Birthday Idea by Madeline Valentine (review)

Ben’s “No dolls allowed” rule bans little sister Alice and her toys from joining in the games Ben plays with his toy robot. Alice therefore requests the new Roboy 2000, which Ben also covets, for her birthday, but when Ben sneakily opens and plays with the gift before Alice’s party, he breaks it. To atone, Ben gives Alice his own beloved robot toy, and this time when Alice asks if he will play with her, Ben warmly assents. Valentine’s clear, succinct text is effective at conveying the complexity of some sibling interactions: it is clear that Alice chooses the Roboy because she desperately wants to play with Ben, even though he takes it as a taunt. Additionally, the brevity of the text will put this within range of kids who can work their way through primary-level easy readers. The graphite, gouache, and colored pencil art on watercolor paper is warm and affectionate, and the simple figures resemble Schultz’s early Peanuts characters. Freckled Ben’s apprehension, shame, and regret are palpably communicated through his facial expressions and body posture. This would be a strong family readaloud, an excellent partner for Hoban’s classic A Birthday for Frances (BCCB 1/69), or even a useful classroom story to share, as the relationship and jealousy issues easily transfer to friendships as well.