Happy Birthday, Hamster

PreS-Gr 1—The small creature featured in Hot Rod Hamster (Scholastic, 2010) is back, and it's his birthday. He hopes for a new riding toy but what he really wants is simply for his friends to remember his special day. Tagging along with Dog on his errands, Hamster begins to lose hope. But in the background, readers see all of his friends rallying around the birthday effort as the text chants: "Games, check. Hats, check. Piñata and some bats, check. Plates, check. Spoons, check. Streamers and balloons, check. Which would you choose?" Loud, exaggerated acrylics burst off the pages, and the plump, cuddly characters look like stuffed animals come to life. Children will enjoy the opportunity to participate and make choices throughout the book leading up to Hamster's surprise party.—Julie Roach, Cambridge Public Library, MA