________________ CM . . . . Volume XXIV Number 13 . . . . December 1, 2017

cover

Birthdays Around the World.

Margriet Ruurs. Illustrated by Ashley Barron.
Toronto, ON: Kids Can Press, 2017.
40 pp., hardcover, $19.99.
ISBN 978-1-77138-624-1.

Subject Heading:
Birthdays-Juvenile literature.

Preschool-grade 2 / Ages 4-7.

Review by Alicia Cheng.

***½ /4

   

excerpt:


Everybody in the world has a birthday. But birthdays are not celebrated in the same way everywhere.
…

Let's have a look at how children all around the world celebrate their birthdays. Maybe they celebrate just like you do.

Birthdays Around the World delves into cultural differences in a way children can relate to. Everyone has a birthday, but how birthdays are celebrated depends on where they are from. In this nonfiction book, 17 children describe how they celebrate their birthdays, thus introducing readers to birthday traditions in 17 different countries.

      Ruurs does a brilliant job of ensuring that there is diverse representation as well as teaching readers what "Happy Birthday" is in each country's native language. Included in this book are a note for parents and teachers, activity ideas, and a glossary for non-English vocabulary. Also worth noting is Ashley Barron's artwork. Simple yet vibrant, the paper collage illustrations help the reader experience this joyous birthday occasion. Young readers will have lots to discover as they flip through the colourful pages while older readers will enjoy reading and learning from this informational picture book.

      Birthdays Around the World wonderfully celebrates the many diverse customs and traditions in the world. Other informational picture books in this series include Children Around the World, Families Around the World and School Days Around the World.

Highly Recommended.

Alicia Cheng is the Assistant Manager of Teen Services at the Vancouver Public Library in Vancouver BC.



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