THE BEST BIRTHDAY EVER by Charise Mercile Harper

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this new book, THE BEST BIRTHDAY EVER by Charise Mericle Harper.  As you know, we are busy with a How-To Writing Unit this month so I have been on the lookout for good how-to books. Many of the books we used to study how-to writing included single pages of how-to writing.  So, when Beth at Cover to Cover showed me this book, I bought it right away.  It was great how-to writing in picture book form.

If you know this author, you know that her books have a sense of humor and a lot of wit.  This is the case with THE BEST BIRTHDAY EVER.  The character in the book tells the reader how to have a party. Each page focuses on one aspect of the party.  Instructions include information on the birthday invitation, the birthday outfit ("On your birthday, no one should be the boss of your fashion, except you!"), welcoming party guests and more.  The illustrations add to the fun with labels and descriptions.

At the end of the book, there is an additional page--"How To Make a Birthday Crown" with steps to make a great crown (options included.)

This is a great book. There are so many possibilities. I love it for many ages.  As I mentioned before, I picked it up because it was a fun how-to book. This book is a great model for how-to writing. It has everything you want to make how-to writing effective. But it would also make a good read aloud and a great book for independent reading.  So much creative thinking can come from spending time with this book. Love it!