From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 2–Robert is excited about attending Great-Gran Sadie's 100th birthday party. He knows he looks handsome in his new shirt, well-polished shoes, and going-to-a-party tie. He can't wait to eat, dance, and help celebrate the big event. But Mama, Daddy, and big sister Alice have nonstop instructions for how he should behave. When they arrive, other relatives add to the list of dos and don'ts. Robert's enthusiasm fades during a meal that he doesn't like and speeches that never end. Boredom leads to mischief such as building igloos from ice cubes. When the dancing begins, Robert finally has a chance to let out the wiggles, but his sheer energy raises a chorus of don'ts from all the relatives–except Great-Gran Sadie. She may be 100, but she still knows how to have fun with a boy who's had to sit much too long. Karas's spirited color illustrations portray the family gathering from a child's view: lots of legs and no faces, strange foods and unappetizing drinks. The book would be a perfect choice to read before or after a family gathering. The venues and reasons for such events may vary, but attempts to meet adults' expectations will resonate with most readers.
–Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State University, Mankato Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
PreS-Gr. 2. Children will identify and sympathize with young Robert, who is going to his first grown-up affair--a 100th birthday party for his great-grandmother. He's told to be good, and the list of don'ts is formidable: no running or jumping, no mumbling, and never interrupt. At the party, many other relatives take the opportunity to correct Robert's behavior, and he begins to think grown-up parties aren't much fun--especially when the chicken dinner comes covered with mushrooms and onions. When it's time for the dancing, adults try to help Robert stop his quivering, quaking, rambunctious movements--until Great-Grandma Sadie gets on the dance floor and bumps around in the same ebullient way. Karas' art verges on cartoon style as he picks out the humorous moments in the story, which is really just a situation. Part of the fun comes from the artwork's solid sense of perspective; Robert sees events from his own diminutive point of view. A good book for kids about to find themselves in similar situations.
Ilene CooperCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
