PreS-K-It's Cow's birthday, and Pig and Mouse decide to bake a cake. They follow the standard recipe, mixing eggs, flour, and sugar, but Duck wants to add a turnip. Outvoted, the duck nevertheless persists in trying to contribute the special ingredient, even as the others top off the finished treat with candles. A surprised Cow is overjoyed to be feted, and on seeing her friends hold up their gifts exclaims: "Is that what I think it is? Oh boy, this is the best birthday ever-a turnip." Told in simple language, this whimsical story is illustrated with somewhat abstract cartoon drawings in bright colors and strong black lines. Some of the spreads have a cluttered appearance that may be a bit confusing to the very young, but children will delight in the humor.-G. Alyssa Parkinson, Highland Township Library, MI (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

As Cow's birthday approaches, Pig and Mouse set out to make her "the best birthday cake EVER!" Their ideas differ from Duck's, who persistently tries to include a turnip in the cake. In the end, it's the turnip that excites Cow more than the beautiful cake. The vibrant thick-lined illustrations are made up of simple shapes set against monochromatic backgrounds. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.

Thomas scores again after What Will Fat Cat Sit On? (2007) with another droll crowd-pleaser for the OshKosh B'Gosh set. Scornfully rejecting Duck's hilariously persistent efforts to add a turnip, Pig and Mouse create a luscious cake--only to find themselves saddled with eating it themselves (not that they mind) when Cow obliviously falls on Duck's turnip, rapturously declaring this birthday the best one ever. Punctuated by punch-line words (usually "TURNIP") in red, the huge, pithy text is paired to simply drawn figures that spill past the edges, and often seem ready to pop right up from the page. From the calendar countdown on the front endpapers (Cow's birthday is October 17th, if you're curious) to a closing joke on the rear ones about using turnips as toothbrushes, this riotous read-aloud is guaranteed to have them rolling in the aisles. (Picture book. 4-6) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.