Birthday Presents [Paperback]

Cynthia Rylant (Author), Sucie Stevenson (Illustrator)

Book Description

"In this joyous celebration of family love, a little girl is told about each of her birthdays from . . . her birth until she is six. . . . Family history and memories combine in this book that's a work of love, a true present--and one that should cause children to clamor for stories of their past birthdays."-- School Library Journal, starred review. Full-color illustrations.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In PW 's words, "On the first five birthdays of one small girl, five different cakes are baked. Before her sixth birthday, she has learned to offer her parents gifts on their birthdays. A celebration of love, this book is as delicious as a 'chocolate face' and just as funny." Ages 3-6.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2 In this joyous celebration of family love, a little girl is told about each of her birthdays from the moment of her birth until she is six. Stevenson's illustrations begin with an uncluttered view of mother, father, and newborn baby. From then on, Rylant's understated text and Stevenson's double-page spreads show the three engaging in birthday activities. Both text and illustrations vividly capture the tears, trials, joys, and jubilations of childhoodstar cakes, clown cakes, and robot cakes; flu, stomachaches, and frustrations. Stevenson's vibrant illustrations depict a loving home filled with the clutter of an active child. Many of the illustrations are framed like snapshots in a family album, and the candid shots perfectly capture the expressions of children at parties who don't want to share, faces smeared with chocolate, and tantrums. Family history and memories combine in this book that's a work of love, a true presentand one that should cause children to clammer for stories of their past birthdays. Trev Jones, ``School Library Journal''
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Scholastic (September 1, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0531070263
• ISBN-13: 978-0531070260
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 8.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #923,711 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Cynthia Rylant is the author of numerous distinguished novels and picture books for young readers. In addition to her beginning-reader series: Henry and Mudge, Poppleton, and Mr. Putter and Tabby, as well as her Cobble Street Cousins early-chapter series, she is also the author of the Newbery Medal-winning Missing May, the Newbery Honor Book A Fine White Dust, and two Caldecott Honor-winning picture books.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars BIRTH DAY PRESENCE!, April 13, 2000

By 

Roe (New York City) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Birthday Presents (Paperback)

I have now found the perfect book to give to all of my friends and family members on the special occasion of the birth of a new baby! Cynthia Rylant's 'Birthday Presents' is a touching story about the beauty of family traditions. As a new baby comes into their life, the parents make each birthday special by giving meaningful, non-commercial, oral traditon gifts to their child as she grows up. Each year the whole family revels in the pleasures of the heartwarming tokens. As the child grows older, she realizes how wonderful it is to share important memories. The family is setting up lasting traditions that create a sense of belonging and a sense of joy. Finally, the little girl continues the tradition by giving the parents a very special gift for their anniversary. I wholeheartedly reccommend this book to anyone and everyone.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful gift for sixth birthday, October 17, 2002

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Birthday Presents (School & Library Binding)

...Cynthia Rylant has created a beautiful gift - not for the child saying goodbye to five, but for the parents who are smiling through tears as they remember the transformation of their tiny infant to a full fledged "kid." ...

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a great book!, November 2, 2000

By 

"kdrsault" (Murfreesboro, TN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Birthday Presents (Paperback)

Wow! I picked this up by chance at the library and we read it on my daughter's first birthday (yesterday). What a special book! Both the story and the pictures capture little kids' personalities so perfectly at their various phases. The book shows a little girl's first few birthdays, starting with her birth, and emphasizes her development and the bonds between her and her parents. It's really more of a book about parents and how we love our kids than a kids' book, but my daughter liked it, too. It's a bit of a tearjerker-- keep in mind that it's an emotional time for us, since it's hard to believe that our little baby is a year old already-- but I got a little weepy and my husband got a lump in his throat while reading it. It's just a perfect book for us-- it captures our joy at our daughter's birthday and our nostalgia for the past year. Since it covers the little girl's first several birthdays, it also gives us a chance to look forward to birthdays to come. I'm so glad I happened upon it, and I'm now purchasing a copy to keep.