BOOKS

Where's the Party?

by Ruth CHAN
Where's the Party? illus. by Ruth Chan. 40p. (Georgie and Friends: Bk. 1). Roaring Brook. Apr. 2016. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9781626722699. POP
COPY ISBN
PreS-Gr 1—Georgie is a gray tiger kitty who loves nothing better than throwing a party. So he makes a list, buys a cake, and invites his friends. Sadly, his friends all give reasons why they can't come: Lester is changing his lightbulbs, Bunny's ears are itchy, and Giraffe needs to fold his socks. His best friend Feta is busy making pickles. Disappointed, Georgie heads home. He arrives at his house to find "the most perfect party he'd ever seen." Chan's cartoonish ink and watercolor animals are candy-colored and appealing. Offbeat details, like Georgie's to-do list, his friends' excuses, and a dwindling cake, lend charm to the lighthearted story. The darkened pages when the dejected Georgie heads home make the predictable "SURPRISE" all the more delicious.
VERDICT Chan's first book is a fun and endearing offering for cake and pickle lovers everywhere and party-loving friends to share.
Reviewed by Rachel Anne Mencke, St. Matthew's Parish School, Pacific Palisades, CA
Cat Georgie decides to throw a party for his animal friends, but all give (hilariously) flimsy reasons why they can't attend ("My shorts are too bright," etc.); it turns out they're secretly planning to throw him a party. The book is even more delightful the second time through: readers will spot the friends' party planning and Georgie's cake slowly disappearing in the meticulous illustrations.
, Jul 01, 2016

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