It is not easy to tell a story about pure happiness without being totally schmaltzy, but the award-winning creators of the Henry and Mudge books pull it off once again. This entry in the series is a sweet family-birthday story about Henry's cousin, Annie, who is now his next-door neighbor. Part of the Ready-to-Read series, this beginning chapter book's plain short sentences and exuberant ink-and-watercolor pictures show Annie in frilly pink dresses. She is excited that on her birthday she gets to really dress up in "ribbons and bows and lace and fancy little shoes." This year, she wants to celebrate with just her family: her single-parent dad, her new bunny, Henry, his parents, and Mudge. She asks everyone to dress up, and Dad looks special in a tuxedo, but when the guests arrive at the door, there is a surprise: for Henry's family, "dress-up" means costumes. Everyone laughs and laughs. So will new readers.

Annie's excited to celebrate her birthday with a fancy dress-up party for her family. Even her pet rabbit is dolled-up for the day. But her cousin Henry misunderstands just what kind of dressing-up Annie means, and his family and Mudge mistakenly come in costume. Stevenson's warm, friendly illustrations complement Rylant's loving celebration of family, pets, and parties.

K-Gr 2-The creative duo who enchanted early readers with Henry and Mudge have launched Henry's cousin Annie and her pet rabbit in a series of their own. Children who missed Henry and Mudge and Annie's Good Move (1998) and Henry and Mudge and Annie's Perfect Pet (2000, both S & S) will quickly catch up with these charming characters and their thoughtful friendship. Annie is looking forward to wearing her favorite "ribbons and bows and lace and fancy little shoes" for her birthday celebration and invites Henry, his parents, and Mudge to join her for a "Dress-up Birthday." As Annie and her father greet their guests, they realize that "dressing up" can have several connotations, but learn that a party with special friends brings great happiness. Stevenson's lively pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations depict lots of action in the story's four short chapters, and amplify the characters' warmth, affection, and laughter. Annie has a winning combination of sensitivity, deliberation, girly frills, and fun, and readers will look forward to her next adventure.-Laura Scott, Farmington Community Library, MI Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.