Originally published in Dutch in the Netherlands, this simple picture book uses an exuberant farmyard cast to dramatize a small child's shyness and longing to join in. Piggy is so shy she even blushes when she sees herself in the mirror. On her birthday, she doesn't dare invite anyone. She just goes to bed. But then she dreams of the fun the other animals are having--and she wakes up to find that they have come to celebrate with her. The double-page spreads in bright pastels show Piggy's aloneness and the joyful farce of chickens, frogs, a sheep, a hedgehog, and a cow baking Piggy a very messy cake, dancing with balloons, and preparing a wild birthday surprise. (Reviewed November 15, 1997)

Too shy to play with anyone, Piggy has her own lonely birthday celebration. That night she dreams about the fun the other animals have together and wishes she had some friends. She wakes abruptly to find her dream has come true: all the animals--who feel it's a 'shame that Piggy is so shy...she's such a sweetheart'--surprise her with a party. Textured oil pastels, sometimes sparse, sometimes full of action, tell the simple story.

PreS--Too bashful to even look in the mirror, Piggy can't imagine inviting anyone to a birthday party and celebrates only in her dreams. However, her neighbors--Duck, Cow, Frog, Hedgehog, Sheep, and the many barnyard chickens--take matters into their own hands and Piggy is "so happy she forgot all about being shy." Their celebration echoes images in her dreams, complete with floating balloons, colorful streamers, clattering drums, decorative hats, and a yummy strawberry cake, and everyone--especially Piggy--has a glorious time. Spetter's backgrounds are layered swathes of pastel colors, just right for the agile lines and light-and-frothy hues she uses in illustrating the story. There is no lesson to be learned here, just a simple but amusing tale about enjoying a birthday. Libraries needing another treat to add to their birthday-party shelves for preschoolers will find that this import from the Netherlands has universal appeal.--Barbara Elleman, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI