Customer Reviews

The Secret Birthday Message

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Tim gets a message in code that will lead him to his birthday present. The code contains shapes, and the shapes correlate with cutout pictures of such things as the moon, a star, rocks, and a cave entrance. The cutout pictures half reveal, half conceal the pages behind it, as we fellow the code, a set of directional instructions: Below the star, behind the rock, down the stairs, up and through... After finding Tim's gift, first a pair of eyes but revealed to be a puppy, we are asked if we can find our way back. A map on the final page shows a spatial layout of all the previous instructions. At first I thought of this book as a single gimmick stretched, inflated into a full text, but it is actually more clever than that. It is a fun book that kids can quickly memorize and get the hang of, with the same fertile and detailed illustrations you are familiar with if you've seen any of Carle's books. But it is also challenging children to think through a set of instructions, think sequentially and directionally, then have to shift sets and run the sequence backwards. Good stuff, thanks Carle.

And who doesn't love a cute puppy?

My daughter received this book for her 1st birthday and although she was too little to "follow" the symbols of the "secret message" she adores the shaped pages, the large pictures of easily identified objects - moon, stars, rock etc. and the birthday present at the end which you can peek through to see the page before was her absolute favorite. I need to purchase another copy for her because she has just about worn it out!

This book is about a boy (Tim) who had received a secret message for his birthday. You must follow the message, which is teaching shapes and through the wonderful illustrations catches the concepts of these shapes associated with this world. The pictures wonderful as all of Eric Carle's are and this is a fun adventure!

This is a very unique Carle book. Your child can learn more about shapes and how to follow clues to lead to the next step. My daughter enjoyed reading the story and following the "clues" to the next shape to find the present at the end - a puppy.

If you take the story literally as an adult, you will agree with one of the reviewers that was upset a puppy was being stored in a cave/basement. But it's not meant to be taken literally. It's a fantastical journey for children. To this day, my daughter enjoys following the trail to the present waiting for her at the end.

My four-year-old son loves this book. It makes a special birthday gift that is kind of like a game and book in one.

This book is an excellent choice for beginning readers. The story is constructed from very short sentences and the associated visual effects are colorful and based on shapes constructed from partial pages. It opens with a riddle that is a secret message directing Tim to where he can find his birthday present. That present turns out to be something that nearly all children wish for, so the trek is one that will interest most children. I strongly recommend it for all children who are taking their first steps in learning to read.

Prior to my grandson's 3rd birthday, I gave him several books about birthdays. This one was his favorite. He was immediately drawn into searching through the clues which use directional words such as below, behind . . . He was breathless to find the surprise at the end of the book. And I'm not telling what the surprise is;it's a secret. I will tell you that it's a gift that most every child dreams of receiving. Of course, Eric Carle's art work is magical. Make a child's day--give him or her this book.

Eric Carle is a classic children's author and a master at displaying the images of a child's imagination. The Secret Birthday Message is different than the usual Eric Carle book because it doesn't have any animals in it. Instead it is a quest to a happy surprise at the end.

The beginning of the story starts with a note with instructions and shapes. It is a great learning tool for children. Not only are they having fun learning shapes, but they are learning to follow instructions as well. Each of the pages following the secret message have cutouts of the shapes in the message. This gives children a fun experience trying to figure out what the shapes will represent.

After the birthday surprise is discovered at the end the last two pages show the entire message, which is more like a treasure map, from start to finish.

This is a true classic children's book for all ages.

The Ahgoo Review rating is 5 out of 5.

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I love this story, but the board book version of it worries me because there is a page with a cut out star that is very pointy. The way my little guy examines books makes me afraid that he would poke himself in the eye.

I must be the only parent on the planet not to like Eric Carle's books. I don't like his illustrations at all (see A FAIRY WENT A-MARKETING for some GOOD illustrations, imho!) & the story bores me to tears...that is, until the end when I see the present is a live puppy who has been waiting God knows how long in a cave to be found by the birthday boy--then I get mad...& what kind of message does that send to little ones about caring for animals? Anyway, I gave this 3 stars because my 2 year old does enjoy it alot & has memorized the shapes & has fun with it, but it leaves me cold...just call me the Grinch, I guess...