Hazel and Twig: The Birthday Fortune

In Yu%E2%80%99s tender and sunny debut, tiny mouse sisters Hazel and Twig playfully showcase their dreamy woodland home and their loving family as they prepare for Twig%E2%80%99s first birthday and the Korean tradition that marks milestone. From sending invitations and picking flowers to making dandelion kimchi, Hazel leads Twig into full party-planning mode for the special day. Hazel explains the festivities will include a doljabi, or %E2%80%9Cfortune telling ceremony%E2%80%9D: %E2%80%9CWe%E2%80%99ll put out lots of things, like a lute and a ball of yarn and some toasted thistle seeds. Then you%E2%80%99ll go pick one%E2%80%94only one, OK?%E2%80%9D The item selected by the guest of honor is a predictor of her future: a lute signals becoming a musician; the yarn means a really long life. When Twig%E2%80%99s big moment finally arrives, she surprises everyone with an unusual choice%E2%80%94a feather%E2%80%94and Hazel reveals why it%E2%80%99s perfect. Yu%E2%80%99s watercolor-and-ink compositions are delicate, imbued with a soft palette of varying shades of green, blue, and brown. Her sweet-faced characters are a joyful mix of gentleness and irrepressibility, a truly irresistible blend. Ages 3%E2%80%937. Agent: Linda Camacho, Gallt and Zacker Literary Agency. (Apr.)