I'm Very Busy: A (Nearly Forgotten) Birthday Book by Oliver Jeffers

Fans of Oliver Jeffers many books will be delighted with another picture book that will have readers rejoicing in the way that friends are able to fix their mistakes. It is Bridget’s birthday and she thought that it would be a lovely day to spend with friends, but when she approached Royal, he said he had ‘people to see and places to be.’ Rodney had ‘to see a man about a dog’, while Regis was washing his hair. Penelope was up to her eyes digging a hole and Pearl had ’a list of things to write and then cross off!’ But Penelope heard Bridget when she said she would have to blow out her birthday candles by herself and gradually each of her friends realise that they had forgotten her birthday and come together to give her a party.

Jeffers’ illustrations are wonderful. Each of the children are tinted in individual colours ranging from green, pink, blue, lilac, green and orange and each have individual hairstyles and expressions. There are lots of little humorous details, like Regis who said he was going to wash his hair but is bald and Rodney who is walking an invisible dog. These will have the reader smiling and the party at the end is a joyous way for the friends to cover up their forgetfulness and make Bridget very happy by showing how they care.

This is a lovely story of friendship and second chances and would be well worth giving as a gift or having in a library collection.

Themes: Birthdays, Friendship, Second chances.

Pat Pledger