Amherst Reads Discussion

Big Birthday (Carolrhoda, 2012) is the sequel to my first picture book, Big Bouffant (Carolrhoda, 2011).  In Big Bouffant, Annabelle wants to imitate her grandmother’s hair style which leads to many unforeseen consequences, both good and bad. In Big Birthday, Annabelle decides to have her birthday on the moon, but finds that an outer-space party isn’t quite what she expected.

Although Annabelle’s grand plans sometimes get her into trouble, she does not allow these problems to crush her creativity or individuality. What I want kids to take away from these books is the importance of honoring their true selves through their creative vision. If their plans don’t turn out quite like they had hoped, it’s important to be resilient, and continue to have big ideas.