The Secret Birthday Message

Eric Carle. HarperCollins, $6.99 (32pp) ISBN 978-0-06-443099-9

A small boy follows a coded message to find his birthday surprise. PW noted that this book introduces ""pattern recognition, matching shapes, map-reading, and directional relationships in full-color pages that allow preschoolers to participate fully in the enticing adventure.'' (37)

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