Megabat and the Not-Happy Birthday

It is time for Daniel’s birthday party, and his friend Megabat is very excited because he has never been to a birthday party before. Daniel is inviting his new friends to come to an All-You-Can-Eat Sugar Cereal Pig-Out Party on Saturday. Megabat tells Daniel that he wants a harmonica for his present. He is very disappointed when Daniel tells him that only the birthday person gets a present. But this is only the beginning!

Daniel and his friend Talia make decorations for the party, but, when Megabat and his friend Birdgirl try to help, they make a big mess. Daniel and Talia are whispering secrets, and Megabat feels left out. At the party, Megabat tries to be the center of attention, but Daniel says he must pay attention to all his guests. Megabat concludes, “This is being the ungoodliest party EVER.” (p. 65) Then things get even worse when he manages to break three of Daniel’s presents, including the amazing robot, Boogie-Bot.

Megabat feels like a failure, and most of all, he feels like a bad friend to Daniel. He packs up his things and runs away. If he becomes a famous explorer, Daniel will want him as a friend once more. While on his journey, Megabat has many adventures with birds, bugs, dwarves, and squirrels. He even learns to babysit baby squirrels, although not very well. He is hungry and very lonesome. In the end, Megabat returns home and overhears Daniel and his friends talking about “disaster” and “twister”. Could they be preparing for a tornado? Megabat is back to save the day, but Daniel and his friends have a big surprise for him!

Megabat and the Not-Happy Birthday is the fourth book in the “Megabat” series by Anna Humphrey and Kass Reich. Daniel’s birthday party is a disaster for the accident-prone Megabat who feels left out and unappreciated. When he runs away, he learns to deal with new and exciting things, but he is also hungry and lonely. He misses his best friend Daniel and desperately wants to go home. Daniel and his friends are planning a surprise “batday” party for Megabat, who feels silly for running away from Daniel. However, in the end, Megabat learns that his friends care for him and appreciate his unique gifts!

Kass Reich’s illustrations once again add striking visual detail to the storyline which introduces young readers to Megabat’s feelings of inadequacy and loneliness in difficult situations. He makes mistakes, but that doesn’t make him a “bad friend”. Daniel eventually convinces him that all of us make mistakes at times, but we still deserve to be loved and appreciated as individuals with unique gifts.

Megabat and the Not-Happy Birthday is a wonderful story to deal with insecurities which many young readers are experiencing because of their new realities. This book will allow readers and caregivers to talk about many issues including: making mistakes, being a friend, experiencing loneliness, feeling insecure, and being inclusive. Young readers will definitely look forward to the next novel in the “Megabat” series!