Birthdays Books

This is an enchanting story about triplets. There are three sisters, two identical, but all unique. They live in Sydney and the story opens with their 33rd birthday party at a restaurant they turn upside down. Gemma is a people pleaser, a daydreamer, and gypsy. Lyn is the martyr, an overachiever, and a worrier. Finally, there is Cat. Cat is overly emotional, high-tempered, and fiercely loyal. Now throw in divorced parents who are different as night and day and viola you have the novel "Three Wishes."

One of the sisters is married with a teenage step-daughter and a toddler. Another sister's marriage has run into big problems just as she's trying to get pregnant. The third only stays in a relationship for 6 months or shorter before she bolts. Read this book and go through the trials and tribulations of these adorable and quirky triplets' lives. These events are shared by strangers telling stories involving the triplets and the triplets themselves. It's a fun read with some serious issues addressed as well.

I loved this book, and so did everyone know who has read it. The three sisters are hilarious, and their experiences/conflicts are unique and enticing. I'd recommend this book to anyone!!!

I discovered Liane Moriarty only by chance, but once I read THE LAST ANNIVERSARY, I had to find THREE WISHES as quickly as possible. My only regret is that there aren't a dozen more of her novels already on the shelf, waiting for me to devour them. Seldom does one find a modern women's fiction writer who tells a story with such humor, perception and literate grace. Liane Moriarty's appeal spans continents and generations of readers; my 28-year-old daughter loves them as much as I do. I am anxiously awaiting her next novel!

Loved this book! I eagerly await another title by this author!

This book starts with a scene where 3 triplets are eating birthday cake in a restaurant. One of the women is pregnant and the other throws a fork at her stomach. The scene is told from a bystander's point of view so we don't know the sisters by name yet. The novel then works backward so we can see how they got to this point.

For me, the middle of the book was best, because it focused on Gemma's story. Gemma is the flaky, endearing, yet smart sister who is scarred by a past relationship. Her fiance died, but no one in her family knew that he was abusive. Because of his behavior, she finds herself bowing out of relationships if the new boyfriend reminds her of the fiance even slightly. For example, one of them asks her to wash the sand from her feet at the beach before getting in the car, and this reminds her of her fiance's wrath when she got sand in his car, so she breaks up with the boyfriend. Gemma is a charming, troubled person and you root for her to conquer her troubles.

One of the other sisters, Cat, is harder to care about. Cat is one of the glass-half-empty people with an enormous sense of entitlement and an equally marked lack of empathy. She feels like she deserves everything in life and takes it out on others when things go wrong. Unfortunately, the last part of the book focuses on Cat.

The third sister, Lyn, is not as well-drawn as the other two. She's a workaholic who has trouble delegating, and her husband presses her to get an assistant to help her with her on-the-go breakfast business (Brekkie Bus).

I also had trouble with something that happened to the girls' grandmother near the end. It seemed completely unnecessary and irrelevant to the plot, on top of being disturbing.

Overall, Moriarty's breezy and clever style, as well as her way with dialogue, makes this book worth reading. But I do wish she had chosen to keep the focus on Gemma and given the grandmother a break.

I'll admit, there were times in this book where I wasn't quite sure what the author was driving at, yet I still got a kick out of what he was saying, if that makes any sense. And the book never got off its track, keeping with the message of how to improve upon things if you're not that happy with the status quo. Some of Joe Redden Tigan's ideas I get, some I don't, but the humor of the book kept me coming back. The golf bet I thought was a clever way of getting this message across, and I'm a golfer so that helps, but I wouldn't call this a "golf" book. Tigan's descriptions of golf are definitely spot on and then some, but they are mostly background. Other than some parts that are a little out there, I enjoyed reading it.

Waggle doesn't merely set out to describe suburban complacency and say "See how awful suburbia is?". This book has remedies, not only for suburbia, but for anybody that still gives a dam. Joe Redden Tigan has used the backdrop of a far western suburb of Chicago being ravaged by commercial and residential real estate development to set the stage for consumerist blindness and all it can come with. His set-up is winding and subtle, but convincing, and very funny. Things have finally hit Waggle hero real estate appraiser Conny Bromenn in a deep enough spot to where he may want to actually do something about it. Like get involved. Seek enlightenment. His challenge is to convince his long-time friends and golfing buddies that they should join him in his quest to do things like participate in preserving the environment, beat back commercialism, outfox governmental bureaucratic oppression, and learn how to play musical instruments, just to name a few. Conny knows the only way he could get these guys to participate is if they lost a golf bet. And that's Tigan's ploy for driving his message and his book to a temporary resting place. The ploy may work for some but not all readers. Ditto Tigan's writing style. But they did for me.

This could have been a good book. Really. It has a story that could have been really entertaining.

Unfortunately, the author has a quirky, sometimes ridiculous writing style. As long as he sticks to the golf, we're fine. He does a good job explaining things for the non-golfer without boring people who already know what he's talking about. Still, things get odd when he tries to get clever or funny.

You won't laugh when a golfer suggests that we should have spent money from the space program on teaching people to be like the Amish. If you're like me, you'll reread the section thinking you missed the joke somehow. It won't make sense the second time either.

Likewise, you'll be reaching for your dictionary trying to figure out words like 'aurae' and 'stamen' both misused over and over again throughout the book. To get an idea what I mean, use the Amazon search function to find 'aurae' in this book and check out the bizzaro sentences you get back. You can't even use contextual clues to figure out what word the author meant to use. Sentences with 'stamen' are downright indecipherable. Joe Redden Tigan needs a dictionary.

At one point, without any real connection to the story, the author writes, "Trees are not humid blue but are actually green and bright green." Huh? Get used to it.

This should have been a fun golf book but it is not. Use the couple of hours you'd have spent skimming this novel to work on your short game. You'll be happy you did.

I don't golf but many of the men in my life do...and some are pretty good at it. That aside, I loved this book! Hillarious, touching, colorful and intelligent, it is a thoughtful novel about life...on the golf course and off. This is an author who gets the whole notion of wanting to really amount to something in the grand scheme of things. Buckle up for this one! It's a great ride!

Waggle is a novel written by golf lover Joe Redden Tigan, for fellow golf lovers and suburbanites everywhere. One ordinary day in the summer of 2003, real estate appraiser Conny Bromenn decides to inject some change and meaning into the self-absorbed life he shares with his community. He decides to motivate his Saturday morning golf foursome by replacing their usual wager per hole with certain "pacts" that the loser pledges to adhere to. Hole by hole, the group of 40-year-olds is forced to reexamine their place in the world, and what they need to do. An involving novel about an awakening sense of social responsibility, highly recommended.

I can't wait to try out the recipes in this book. The pictures are beautiful and I like reading the stories. It's a very cute idea and would make a great present.

We received this cookbook as a gift, and I have have enjoyed reading the stories behind the cakes and the visual presentation of each cake is fabulous. And then we made the Comforts Coconut Cake with lemon curd filling. It might be the best cake I have ever eaten, and mine looked as beautiful as the picture in the book. I brought it for a family dinner and got rave reviews. And it really was easy to make!

I love the cake recipes in this book.It has the best chef's cake recipes from restaurants.I can make the best cake at home and eat the whole cake, not just a slice!

I almost didn't buy this book because of some of the lukewarm reviews, but I'm glad I did! This is a wonderful book with numerous recipes that are easy to make and delightful. The "1-2-3 cake" is one my children love to make. All the recipes are clear and should be easy enough for anyone who knows anything about baking. The decoration ideas have really helped me take my creations up a notch. I promise you'll enjoy this book from the beautiful pictures right down to the delicious finished products!

I LOVE this book and quite honestly I find the rather bland reviews perplexing. I tried the angel food cake recipe and it is by far the best I have ever made; tall, light and perfect. The Comfort's Coconut Cake is to die for and the Buttermilk Poppyseed bundt cake turned out great as well. I made a few others and not one got ho-hum from anyone. Seriously, I think the coconut cake alone justifies the purchase of this book and my girlfriend for whom I made this cake on her birthday agrees, two enthusiastic thumbs up!

The other thing I really liked about this book is the great photos and the stories behind the cakes. It is our family tradition for me to bake a homemade, from scratch cake for everyone's birthday and my children thoroughly enjoyed thumbing through this book and saying "This is the cake I want for MY birthday!" What delight it elicited from each one to see the creation they picked sitting before them on their special day.

I haven't tried the more complicated Princess cake but both my girls have tagged it as their choice for their sixteenth birthday. So what if it's complicated or time consuming, they only get one sixteenth birthday in their entire lives. Let's go out of our way to celebrate the life that is uniquely theirs.

If you really are unsure about buying it, order it from your library and try it out. Then you can buy it with the confidence of experience. But don't miss this great resource for making memorable birthday cakes.

What a great start to Mary-Kate and Ashley's newest series! Their books are always good. After reading this one, I just had to keep buying the series. I still am.

Anyway, in this book Mary-Kate is trying to impress her crush, Jake Henna. She gets him, and Ashley is disappointed that Mary-Kate is spending so much time with Jake she can't think about planning their Sweet 16, so Ashley takes on the task by herself. But Ashley is after a guy herself - Ben, a boy she met at a party. Will they find sparks? Will Mary-Kate come back to earth to plan the party?

Read Never Been Kissed and find out!

All the Sweet Sixteen books are great. I read all of their other books, too, but this series is the best!

It looks like everyone's favorite twins are planning their biggest birthday party! Well, that is until everything starts to go wrong. It ends on a cliffhanger, but that is quickly followed by the 2nd book.
The Sweet 16 series is great for chilling out!
This is mainly suited to both fans and non-fans aged between 8 and 14. It's harmless fun and great reading. Okay, so maybe their lives seem a bit perfect and this book doesn't have an action-packed storyline but so what?
It's got nothing to do with the Olsens themselves (apart from the names, and a reference to their personalities) and it's cool for reading just before sleeping. It doesn't lack storyline and it's fairly humorous too. Cool!
Mary-Kate and Ashley can do no wrong! I urge you to read this new series! The first three books rule and the next ones are good too!
Go, MKaA! (Will I be invited to the party?)

Right, i am a big fan of the girls and love the so little time and two of a kind books too!! When i got this i didnt think it was as good as the two of a kind serise!! ... i pefer the younger books! but these are good.its nearly there 16th birthday and they have to decide weather to have a fancy ball party or even a beach party!,what to wear?,will it be only girls/ and many more but time is running out...

This book was about Mary-Kate and Ashley planning their Sweet 16. They can't seem to agree on anything, from the theme to how formal it will be to the location to whether it will be boy-girl or all girls. The boy-girl issue causes a problem when Mary-Kate wants to invite her boyfriend but they have decided on a girl-power theme. Mary-Kate and Ashley want their Sweet 16 to be perfect, but can they work past the many obstacles?

This book surprised me. I was expecting it to have no plot and be slightly boring, but I decided to read it anyway and I'm glad I did. It's a little stupid sometimes, but in a fun way, not a bad way. And it actually has a lot more plot than most of their other book series and their movies. I recommend this book to all fans of Mary-Kate and Ashley, and even if you don't like Mary-Kate and Ashley you might like this book anyway, because it is better than most of their other stuff.

Everything in the book is well organized, there are many different themes,each themed party includes creative tips and fun ativities on everything--from decorations to cakes to party favors.

This book is an excellent resource for parents seeking help with children's birthday parties. It is filled with lots of terrific ideas for putting it all together, including: invitations, activities, cake decorations and favors all tied in to appropriate children's themes. A perfect way to make your birthday girl/boy feel really special.

This book has no ideas that I didn't already find on free sites on the internet. What a disappointment. Ultimate Birthday Party, My Aunt Fanny!!!Save your money.

This book provides lots of idea for kids' birthday parties - themes, activities, decorations, cakes, etc. On first glance, I thought it was exactly what I wanted, and indeed, it is a help. But the problem with the book is that with very many of the activities, the children get some sort of prize - a piece of candy, a little toy, etc. And then comes the cake, soda, and goody bag on top of that. I was looking for a book that offered activities which are done for their won sake and not for the reward (also because it costs money to buy all these things). Some of these activities, of course, can be done without the prize at the end. But for many of them, the prize plays a central role, like in the activity involving a lollipop tree.

The themes are creative as well as the decorations (except for the home made piñata which is a little too fake) but the games are really very much the same ones in each of the different parties. You can just read the first one and nearly know the rest. I think they wasted a lot of paper to tell us the same things all over again in each party.

It was a good book and my favorite part was when they do the trick on Trudy because there was a little suspense to see if the trick would work.-written by Sina Panhasi

I don't know what I liked best about this book--the subtle, clever, ironic twist, the nostalgic feeling to a decade long ago, Van Allsburg's amazing artistry... heck, it's all wonderful.

This is about a couple of boys who attempt to hypnotize a little girl--you know, to be bratty, stinky boys. Unfortunately, it plays out in less than their best interest.

It's hysterical and a wonderful example of revenge.

I borrowed this book from our local library knowing nothing about the book but enjoying previous works by the author. The cover was a little 'strange' but, upon reading the story of this young boy and his friend who are mesmerized by a hypnotist who turns a woman in to a chicken, it made sense.

Someone has posted concern about the image of the sister, who has been turned into a dog, is on all fours drinking out of a bowl. I didn't see it as a racial stereotype. Nor did I look at this book as some sort of racial issue - especially at the end when we get 'the pay-off' and realize that, while she might be younger, Trudy is very one smart cookie!

Our household is multi-racial. Add to that the fact that I am trying to raise a strong daughter. I found nothing offensive in this story. But, perhaps we do things differently in our household. We don't talk about people in terms of color in our house. We talk about people in terms of character. Who is good? Who is bad? Who doesn't pay attention to their parents? What reason would be good enough to not listen to the teacher? Things like that. When I read to my daughter, I also ask her open ended questions to start a dialogue. She enjoyed the story very much and so did I.

This is a great book for children. The pictures are so well done. Parents can enjoy the book as well by remembering their childhood. Children are able to go on a little adventure. All around this is a great book to add to your family collection.

This is an excellent book for all ages. The story is funny and leaves room for imagination!

I bought this book for my 16 month old grandson......he just loves it and when I ask him to bring me a book to read to him he most often pick this one out of all his book.
Great Choice.

My daughter aged 2, loves this book, she sings along and loves turning the pages and looks forward to the party at the end.

This book was a super choice for my 13 month old grand daughter. When she comes over, she goes for this book and she studies each page as I sing the words to her.

My 13 month old daughter loves this book and likes to listen as I sing along when we read this book. She also likes to poke her fingers through the holes and has a great time. Overall a good book.

Very nice illustrations. Every time my baby reads it she notices some new character and thats very exciting for her. Each page is packed with action.

Birthday Boy is an uplifting coming-of-age story - written intentionally for adult beginning readers. The story of Jackson Oaks Fernandez (the Birthday Boy of the title, who has never had a birthday party, or a lot of other things) is inspiring for any reader, as Jackson overcomes numerous obstacles and finally finds his place in the world. But perhaps he is primarily an exceptional role model for any young man who may be struggling to improve his reading, and who may very well see something of himself in this realistic story of a lonely tough kid who manages, mostly through sheer determination (and a lot of boxing!) to find love and happiness. There should be many more books like this one, and it's a pity it's currently out of print. Perhaps Mr. Ogren will write some more.

I bought this book for a friend who has trouble reading and now I can't even sell the used book on EBAY. I thumbed through the book. A very typical storyline with a typical ending written by a typical third rate writer.

I'm not a sports fan, I hate Ernest Hemingway, but Birthday Boy--which I read by happy accident--really moved me. Ogren can write like a piece of fine Chicago cutlery. His characters have heart and depth, his dialogue really sounds like the way they would talk. I saw by the cover that this book is for people who learn to read later in life. But I have to say, Birthday Boy is a little gem that any reader would enjoy--and go away richer.

Birthday Boy is a statement about change of heart. It is a message of hope for our world troubled youth. Only a misanthropic racist would not like Birthday Boy.

I know this is one of those easy to read books for adults but nonetheless, it is still mighty good! A sweet, heartwarming story of a poor black kid who becomes a boxer and fights his way to a different life. I wish this book wasn't out of print because it's awfully good.

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R13YRWFBYK3H3H

Crash! Is it the noise a new puppy makes or much, much more? Mayra Calvani's delightful book will keep children guessing about how to pick just the right name for a new pet as he tries to adjust to his new home. A sweet story. If you love Golden Retrievers you will love Crash!

Five-year-old Marcelo receives a puppy on his birthday. It's golden in color and has chocolate-brown eyes. A Golden Retriever! Marcelo wants a puppy more than anything else in the world, so he is quite happy with his new puppy. It's a boy puppy, and Marcelo wants to think up a special name for his special puppy.

Marcelo takes good care of his puppy and keeps him clean, well fed, and well exercised. Naming a puppy is a big undertaking, and Marcelo wants to make sure he picks out the best name. Mom and Dad give many names to Marcelo to consider, but he's not happy with any of them.

You'll just have to read this adorable book to see what the puppy does and what the perfect name is that Marcelo gives to his puppy!

Author Mayra Calvani carefully chose every word in this book. It just flows perfect, and I really enjoyed the care Marcelo put into giving his puppy just the right name. I was astonished that the colorful, kid-friendly perfect illustrations by Anna Pylypchuk are the work of a sixteen-year-old girl! She is a native Ukrainian and I found her very detailed illustrations just as charming as Mayra's text. This is a fun read for your little ones, and the author will be donating 50% of her royalties from this book to ALMOST HEAVEN GOLDEN RETRIEVER RESCUE AND SANCTUARY, a non-profit organization.
Reviewed by: Gayle Jacobson-Huset, Managing Editor

Review by Douglas Quinn, Author of Blue Heron Marsh, etal
and Donna Higgins Colson, Professional Artist

With rights come responsibilities. Conversely, with responsibilities come rights. Crash! is a story that shows a child that if he or she is going to take on the responsibility of a new puppy, then he or she should have the right to name the pet. Fortunately, the parents respect this right and, while offering suggestions, allow the child to feel his way through the naming process on his own. Ultimately, by observing the new puppy, the child comes up with the perfect name that suits his new pal.

The illustrations are delightful. The red and green cover works well with eye-catching primary colors throughout the book. Composition and use of space are skillfully cropped and the space is nicely broken up with diagonals, creating motion with enough details to generate interest. The boy and the dog are well drawn in appropriate proportions for the target audience and support the story line. We were impressed how skillfully the illustrations were done by this young artist.

We enjoyed Crash! and recommend it for the targeted 3 to 6 read-to age range.

This is a sweet tale about a boy and his puppy. Crash! can be used by a parent to introduce and discuss with a child the challenges of raising a puppy before purchasing one. Also a child will discover the importance of finding the right name for your pet.

Anna Pylypchuk is a talented artist. The illustrations are wonderful. They seem very retro to me. They reminded me of illustrations in pictures book from the fifties.

I read this story to my five year old and she liked it. She even got into finding a name for Marcelo's puppy. She suggested Cutie. She enjoyed looking at the pictures and seeing the funny things the puppy did. But sad to say it did not discourage her in wanting a dog. Even though she learned that caring for a puppy is hard work; she stills wants one when we move into a house. When that happens, she just might get one.

Wonderful story! Perfect for the Curious George Birthday Party! All the guests loved it!

This story follows the same story arch of all the others: Man with the yellow hat leaves George alone (will he never learn?), George inadvertently creates a disaster, and all works out in the end. My four year old loves Curious George and enjoyed a story with a birthday theme.

The Curious George series of books is a wonderful addition to any youngster's library as the stories are brief, beautifully illustrated in vibrant colors, and the plot is simple and easy for young ones to understand. In this book, Curious George gets all excited over a birthday party, and wonders who its for? There are many fun parts as in when George decides to help frost the cake, and what he does with a mess in the kitchen.The activities at the end of the book is an added bonus. A must-have for any Curious George fan!

I recently purchased this book to read at my son's first birthday party....What a cute book.....soft cover....they loved the story!

These were used as favors for my son's 5th birthday party. I added a little sticker inside to thank everyone for coming. It's a great story, a familiar and cuious monkey and it even includes some fun games in the back. Many parents thanked me for encouraging their kids to read and most of all for not giving junk and candy.