Arthur's Birthday (Red Fox Picture Books) - Softcover

Marc Brown, who was born in Erie, Pennsylvania in 1946, received great encouragement and support from his grandmother and uncle. Inspired by the books of Maurice Sendak, Brown decided to pursue his ambition of becoming an illustrator. After receiving a B.F.A. in painting from the Cleveland Institute of Art, he worked as a TV art director, a professor of mechanical drawing, and a freelance illustrator, before becoming a writer. In his books, he addresses the fears and problems which children face and events like friendship, family, school and pets. For his illustrations, Brown uses pencil with watercolor on a variety of papers to achieve different visual effects. The "Arthur" series, about the everyday adventures of a lovable aardvark, began in 1976 and continues to this day with 25 titles published. Brown has also created other series such as the "Rhymes" series, and the nonfiction "Dinosaur" series, which conveys messages of do's and don'ts. These series, like the stories of Arthur, hold the attention of young children while transporting their imaginations on magical journeys.

Kindergarten-Grade 3-- The adventures of Arthur the aardvark continue as he anticipates his birthday party. Excitement builds as he hands out invitations to his friends at school--and then he discovers that Muffy is having a party on Saturday afternoon, too. The dates can't be changed; Arthur's relatives are coming, and Muffy's booked a clown and a rock band. By the next day, the boys have decided to go to Arthur's party, the girls to Muffy's. With his usual wisdom, Arthur saves the day. He and Francine forge Muffy's handwriting on new invitations, changing the location of her party to Arthur's house (his parents are included in the plan). The unsuspecting Muffy is lured there by the promise of a present too big to fit in her mailbox. Of course, the gift is a surprise party, heartily enjoyed by both boys and girls. Brown's familiar watercolors have lots of interesting details--kites caught in trees, a male relative wearing a "Liberated Partner" apron. Arthur's warm, loving family and his diplomatic approach to problem solving strike just the right note--positive and believable. The "Arthur" stories are primary-grade favorites; children will enjoy this latest offering. Other recent birthday stories are Frank Modell's Ice Cream Soup (Greenwillow, 1988), in which another joint party turns into a surprise, and the Sick-in-Bed Birthday Book (Viking, 1988) by Linda Tyler, about a delayed celebration that turns out fine. --Lucy Young Clem, Evansville Vanderburgh County Public Library, Ind.
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