The Great Birthday Surprise!

Gr 1-3–Hairiette is a girl with brown skin and big glowy hair that sparkles like the stars in the galaxy. She lives with her family in the Sugar Hill neighborhood of Harlem, New York City. When Hairiette wakes up and remembers that it’s her seventh birthday, she is excited. Hairiette has a special blue dress to wear to school and knows it will be great day. Before she leaves for school, Hairiette’s parents give her two gifts. When she opens them, she doesn’t see the bike she wants, just a comb and a barrette. Now her birthday has become a lot less exciting. At school, her teacher Miss Ping gives the class an assignment where they need to use their imaginations. Will it help add spark to Hairiette’s day? First-person point of view makes it easy for readers to relate to Hairiette’s up and downs; the elation of knowing it’s her birthday followed by the disappointment surrounding her gifts. Short chapters provide plenty of information for the story to build upon, and little lessons are discreetly hidden in the text. Detailed artwork gives the appearance of ink and paint. The clean illustrations are simple, but full of color. People of various races, ages, and physical abilities are depicted: Hairiette loves seeing all the different people around her because it makes her feel good inside.