Happy Birthday to Me!

Colorful, intricate cut-paper collages and brief “I am” statements by Lam (The Line in the Sand) capture the high-flying, many-layered feelings of a kid at the center of a birthday celebration. “I am excited,” for example, accompanies an image of the brown-skinned child protagonist providing a wake-up call by tickling the nose of their sleeping parent with a party horn. “I am... ready” attends vignettes of the youth cycling through eight elaborate outfits before landing on a perfect ensemble. When party guests arrive, the phrases begin to reflect moments of emotional and sensory overload that lead to an eventual comedown. Following cake, “I am being re-donkey-liss!” appears in a striking bird’s-eye view composition of the now hyped-up child making snow angels in a pile of craft supplies while guests, portrayed as intersectionally diverse, work away on a floor-based art activity. After feelings of curiosity and disappointment, “I am sad” heralds a full-out meltdown triggered when others prove more adept at blowing bubbles. The guests depart, and a snuggle on the parent’s lap, free from recrimination, sets the world to rights. Readers should appreciate this accurate and compassionate portrayal—after all, birthdays are a big deal, and not without their ups and downs. Ages 3–6. (Apr.)