When Pickle organises a birthday celebration for his friend Jason, Bree wants to help. Unfortunately, Bree’s ‘help’ involves taking over the cake and party games, ignoring Pickle’s gentle reminders of what Jason would truly enjoy for his birthday.
Eventually Bree becomes aware of her mistake and starts to listen to Pickle and Jason. She realises she can’t always assume everyone loves the same things she does, and her willingness to step back and allow Pickle and Jason to become involved in the decisions for the party results in everyone having a wonderful time.
The Birthday Party Cake is the first book in Pickle & Bree’s Guide to Good Deeds, a new ‘values’ series of picture books aimed at 5 – 8 year olds written by Alison Reynolds, popular author of numerous books including A Year with Marmalade and The Littlest Bushranger. The series focuses on the friendship between Pickle & Bree and how they navigate the social and emotional challenges they face each day such as sharing, listening to others, and coping with change and differences of opinion.
The books are beautifully illustrated by Mikki Butterley, who captures Bear’s caring personality and Bree’s enthusiasm for life perfectly.
The text is lovely to read simply as a story, but it also offers parents, carers and teachers the opportunity to start conversations about important social skills relating to friendship, particularly that friendship is not dependant on agreeing with each other 100% of the time. The book includes a page of discussion prompts relating to accepting and welcoming differences.
The Birthday Party Cake is a beautiful book that is sure to find its place as both a favourite story and a practical resource for families and classrooms.
Title: The Birthday Party Cake (Pickle & Bree's Guide to Good Deeds)
Author: Alison Reynolds
Illustrator: Mikki Butterley
Publisher: The Five Mile Press, $14.95 RRP
Publication Date: October 2015
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781760067236
For ages: 5 - 8
Type: Picture Book
