Polly's Absolutely Worst Birthday Ever

Companion novels take up where favorite characters left off. The plucky protagonist from Polly's Really Secret Diary returns for Polly's Absolutely Worst Birthday Ever by Frances Thomas, illus. by Sally Gardner. With ""the only ninth birthday I will ever have"" just a few days away, Polly contracts chicken pox and has to stay ""in quorinteen"" for a week and cancel her party. Her hilariously deadpan stream-of-consciousness diary entries track not only her spreading itchiness but also the death of her pet hamster; things finally start looking up when she goes to the animal shelter to look for a new kitten and the long-delayed birthday party rolls around. Gardner creates a droll backdrop with sprightly b&w collages, making this just the ticket for emerging readers ready for slightly more sophisticated fare.