The third book in the award-winning, top-selling “Penelope” series is a comical birthday celebration with hilarious illustrations and uproarious text.
Penelope is having a birthday party and everyone is invited. But as her parents soon realize, Penelope really did invite everyone.
As ballerinas leap through the air, ponies meander through the kitchen,
soccer players kick penalty shots in the living room, and an elephant
makes himself at home, Penelope's flabbergasted parents find
increasingly dramatic words (outrageous ... ridiculous ... preposterous)
to describe the growing chaos. Even though Penelope meant well by not
leaving anyone out, it's clear that this birthday bash has gone berserk
... bonkers ... bananas! So ring the doorbell and join Penelope's party
– with this birthday girl, it's bound to be a blast!
This is the third book in the award-winning “Penelope” series which also includes Penelope and the Monsters, which the Vancouver Sun called “comedy both parents and kids can relate to,” and Penelope and the Humongous Burp, a Canadian Toy Testing Council “Great Books of the Year” selection. The first two “Penelope” titles were both shortlisted for the Ontario Library Association's Blue Spruce Award.
Extras:
Curriculum Links for the "Penelope" Series
Accelerated Reader Quiz from Renaissance Learning Free "Penelope" Activity SheetsSee the results of our Preposterous Birthday Drawing ContestHear an interview with illustrator, Christine Tripp, courtesy of the Book Review Podcast,
Just One More Book! Read an interview with author, Sheri Radford
Additional Formats:
“The third in Radford’s series about the happy-go-lucky Penelope,
this exuberant story sets the bar high for any birthday party ...
lively and colourful illustrations add to the sheer energy and pleasure
of Penelope’s special day in this book that’s sure to delight young
readers. Rated E for Excellent.” – Resource Links, June 2009
“... demonstrates children’s insatiable appetite for 'what if?' and
fun on a grand scale … Penelope is a character firmly in the tradition
of the Eloises and Jillian Jiggses of the more giddy, rhyming kidlit
landscape … As in previous tales, Penelope’s hijinks pull young readers
in, but also include a gentle lesson … Young readers will enjoy and
respond to the familiarity of the incremental build of the narrative
and will anticipate upcoming scenes … the accessibility and familiarity
of the whole package is conducive to inevitable retelling.” – Quill & Quire, March 2009
"Author Sheri Radford has created a strong character in Penelope, a
girl with lots of energy [and] good intentions...Almost everyone will
be able to see someone like themselves in this story." – CM Magazine, April 2009
“Exuberant color illustrations add an extra dash of delight to this playful story. Also highly recommended are Penelope and the Monsters and Penelope and the Humongous Burp.” – Midwest Book Review, May 2009
"Sheri Radford and Christine Tripp have collaborated again to create Penelope and the Preposterous Birthday Party,
a balloon-busting, cake-throwing tribute to children's birthday parties
gone wild... Youth readers will revel in the out of control antics of
Penelope's party guests. Tripp's illustrations burst with life and
detail, matching Radford's zany story. .. [A] great gift for any young birthday boy or girl and a story that will definitely be read again and again." – Canadian Bookseller Magazine, Spring 2009
"... another exuberant example of the antics of that joyful
character. Just like Radford’s first two outings, this escapade appeals
to the young and young at heart ... Using bright imagery and
alliterations, the descriptive text leads the reader through the party
as each surprising guest arrives." - Children's Book Center's Cooperative Services for Children's Literature (CSCL), July 2009 (Bowling Green State University, Ohio)
“This very funny book … is one of the cutest I’ve read in a long
time. Little Penelope is having a birthday party, and has been given
permission to invite her closest friends to help her celebrate. But
since Penelope doesn’t want to leave anyone out, her house soon is soon
filled to the brim with smiling, prancing, bouncing classmates, soccer
players,clowns, magicians…and yes, even monkeys ... a good read and an
eye-full of clever (and hilarious) artwork ...” – yabookscentral.com, June 2009
“Children won’t be bored by the illustrations, which are jam packed
with activities and details…It’s fun and lively to read out loud to
kids. And the expression on the faces of Penelope’s parents as more and
more people stumble through their door is priceless. That Penelope.
She’s trouble – and a whole lot of fun.” – Ladysmith Chronicle (BC), May 2009
"Our
daughter laughed and giggled her way through this book every time we
shared it ... There are several places where she asked us to stop so
she could explore the illustrations ... really fun to read with
preschoolers, but it is also good to share with an emergent reader,
because the text is driven by dialogue, so parents and child can play
their roles (or reverse them!) ... well suited to reader's theater
for first and second graders to practice their vocabulary
development.” – The Reading Tub,
May 2009
- Shortlisted, BC Chocolate Lily Book Awards (2010-2011)
- Selected, Resource Links: The Year’s Best (2009)
- Author featured on the Canadian Children's Author Stage at the 2009 Vancouver Word on the Street Festival
