ALA Booklist (Sat Dec 01 00:00:00 CST 2018)

Alemagna (On a Magical Do-Nothing Day, 2017) applies her whimsical talents to the story of young Harold Snipperpot, a boy who desperately wants to have a party for his seventh birthday. Unfortunately, his parents missed the memo, so they call up Mr. Ponzio e neighborhood problem solver, admirably sporting mismatched patterns and an impressive afro set things right. Rainbow bunting and balloons suddenly festoon the house, but these are nothing compared to the line of animals waiting at Harold's door. A zoo's worth of creatures makes its way inside, and the fun quickly dissolves into pandemonium. Readers will squeal with delight at Alemagna's montage of misbehaving animals, whether a polar bear squished onto a velvet couch, or a giraffe munching a crystal chandelier. Just when events seem to get utterly out of hand, Harold takes charge and things take a satisfying turn. This story hits all the right notes for young readers, being more than chaotic silliness, and the details worked into Alemagna's mixed-media collage illustrations are extraordinarily captivating.

Horn Book (Thu Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2019)

A boy describes the day when his party-loathing parents finally throw him a birthday bash. They enlist the help of neighborhood problem-solver Mr. Ponzio, who lets things get somewhat out of hand (think hippo in the bathtub). The book's narrative arc is overcrowded (like the Snipperpots' house), but the retro-flavored mixed-media art is enchanting.

Kirkus Reviews

A streaming parade of wild animals pours into Harold Snipperpot's posh home, wrecking the place but ultimately delivering the birthday party the boy's always wanted in this French import.Harold Snipperpot's never had a birthday party because his parents abhor parties (and hugs and kisses, for that matter), but their anemic, bespectacled son's excruciating yearning for a real party prompts them to reach out to Mr. Ponzio, the neighborhood problem-solver. Mellow, flat gouache, oil, collage, and wax pencil illustrations describe Harold's tweedy, polished world while also delivering delightfully expressive portraiture of the animals Mr. Ponzio sends over. Harold's first-person narration (breathless, conversational, and authentic-sounding thanks to Gauvin's translation) drives the story, which gains momentum with each page turn. Mr. Ponzio appears only peripherally and doesn't say much; his carousing caravan of creatures will keep readers spellbound as they wreak havoc on the Snipperpots' well-appointed home. Birds break Harold's grandmother's china; turtles chew up the rare-book collection; a giraffe eats the art deco chandelier; an armadillo tries on Harold's mother's pearls; monkeys vamp in tulle and silk; a hippo floods the bathroom. The uptight, neurasthenic Snipperpots present white while burly Mr. Ponzio presents black, with a large Afro and flamboyant garb. Mr. Ponzio appears only peripherally and doesn't say much, and while extremely alluring, he is also sadly reminiscent of the "magical negro" stock character whose unexplained mystic powers have helped whites in their journeys for too long.Wondering how this exhilarating disaster can possibly fulfill Harold's birthday wish keeps readers puzzling right up until the culmination. (Picture book. 4-8)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Harold-s -grumpy- parents don-t like parties or shows of affection, and he knows there-s no chance he-ll have a birthday celebration this year. He-s so depressed that his mother appeals to Mr. Ponzio, the neighborhood fixer, who has poufy hair and a bristly mustache. -Don-t worry one bit, Mrs. Snipperpot,- he says, and he appears at their doorstep on the party day with a menagerie of animal guests. Things go well until the beasts start -behaving... like animals,- tearing the house to pieces and leaving piles of poo behind. When a stampede moves the party outside, Harold takes charge and relief thaws his parents- icy hauteur. They kiss--a giant passionate one, just like in a movie--then smooch Harold, leading to a more loving birthday than Harold dared hope for. Nuanced, wonderfully observant mixed-media artwork by Alemagna (On a Magical Do-Nothing Day) gives this story its magic. Harold-s mother curls a nervous foot tensely around the other when phoning Mr. Ponzio. A massive rhino rear end seen trailing up the stairs offers a stately contrast to the floor-s delicate design. And an animalian mess in greens and mauves offers a satisfying bridge from the story-s prim beginnings to its warm, familial end. Ages 4-8. (Feb.)