Birthday Party

Early Readers are stepping stones from picture books to reading books. A blue Early Reader is perfect for sharing and reading together. A red Early Reader is the next step on your reading journey. Horrid Henry creates havoc at his birthday party.

Have a happy birthday—the backwards way! Full of fun and based on the hit song from Tom Chapin and John Forster, this is a celebratory birthday bash like no other. Put your clothes on inside out, heat up the ice cream, and hang on to your party hats—because everything’s out of whack at the backwards birthday party! From beloved, three-time Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Tom Chapin, four-time Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter John Forster, and with stunning illustrations from Chuck Groenink comes the zaniest birthday party you’ll ever attend.

Balloons, fun, games, magic, and more -- they are all here. From entertaining and food to marketing and promotion, this book features comprehensive and detailed guidance on how to succeed in the birthday party business. At the heart of the birthday party business is the entertainment. In this book you will find detailed information on the art of entertaining children of all ages. You will learn how to work with children, what they like, what they don't like, how to make them laugh, and how to control them. You will learn the secrets of entertaining kids using magic, clowning, puppetry, storytelling, ballooning, and face painting, as well as gain valuable information on catering, party games, and creating enchanting theme parties. This book has everything you need to get started in the birthday party business; included are samples of advertisements, sales letters, thank you notes, news releases, contracts, party planning guides, flyers, business cards, stationery, and promotional give-aways, as well as dozens of comedy skits and party routines.

From a $250,000 fête for a seven-year-old Florida girl, complete with helicopter rides, to $100,000 first birthday parties as reported in the New York Times, this is rapidly becoming the gilded age of children's birthday parties. The cost of these events now averages between $200 and $400, fueled by pressure to “keep up with the Joneses.” Couple this surge in interest with the fact that births in the United States have exceeded 4 million each year since 2000, and you have a waiting and growing market. Planning such events has become a profession in itself. More and more, parents are turning to event consultants to plan their children's celebrations. If you've dreamed of your own home business, planned parties for your own children, and want to put your creative ideas to work, this book is for you. Packed with organizing tips, guidelines, checklists, and more, How to Start a Home-Based Children's Birthday Party Business will help you hit the ground running.

Is your birthday coming up? Here's how you can give all your friends a present: invite them to a great party! This book will help you throw the party of the year, with tips ranging from creating cool invitations and sample party playlists to handling party wrap-up and thank-you notes. You'll even find alternatives to birthday cake if you want to serve a different sort of sweet treat. Decorate-your-own sugar cookies, anyone? Take a look inside, and in no time you'll be blowing out your candles at your spectacular party!

Two of the letters in the title are printed backwards.

In the middle of a busy anthill under the big old oak tree, a group of hardworking ants lived together in peace. Everyone in the forest knew how hard they worked and how well they worked together to do their daily tasks. Even though they were very busy, the Ants' Birthday Party was a unique tradition that set them apart. The ants thought that all living things, no matter how small, should have a day to be happy and have fun. Their idea was simple, but it worked: life was a gift that should be cherished. Auntie Antella picked up the young ants one beautiful morning while they were sunbathing in the forest's golden light and told them about the Ants' Birthday Party that was coming up. As the happy little ants told everyone in the anthill, plans began to take shape. Everyone in the settlement gave their unique skills to make the party amazing. Antonio, who was a great cook, chose to make a cake out of the juiciest and sweetest crumbs they could find. Antoinette, the artist, used flower petals and dewdrops as ink to make beautiful invitations. Antonia, who is very good at planning things, made a schedule of games and events. But the most important job was to ask Queen Butterfly, the most beautiful and smart butterfly in the forest, to the party. The ants worked together and didn't give up, so they turned their home into a party with daisies, dandelions, small tables, pebble chairs, and fragrant petal garlands. As the party day got closer, Auntie Antella gathered the little ants again, stressing how important it was to share happiness and kindness, which was the real point of their celebration. Finally, the long-awaited day came, and the forest was bathed in golden light. Antonio showed off a cake with colored crumbs and tasty dew on top, along with tiny ants dressed in their smallest, shiniest outfits. Beautiful invitations from Antoinette brought guests from all over the forest, such as friendly beetles, happy ladybugs, and a family of singing crickets. The event started with a lively dancing competition where many wild animals showed off their skills. As the party hit its peak, Queen Butterfly gracefully lowered herself from the canopy. When her bright wings shone like rainbows, the anthill was filled with awe. Queen Butterfly danced with the young ants and told them stories about her travels. She added a magical touch to the party. It was time to cut the cake as the sun went down. By cutting the cake into two equal halves, Queen Butterfly shows how important it is to share and be with others. The ants found out that the party wasn't special because of the cake, the flowers, or even the special guest. What really made it memorable was the love, laughter, and friendship they shared. The queen butterfly smiled and praised the ants for being honest and able to enjoy the beautiful things in life. Her words had a big effect on us because they reminded us that how sincere the party was more important than how big it was. After that, the ants kept working hard while also finding time to have fun and get to know each other. Their anthill became a place of peace and unity when they were friendly and warm to all the animals in the forest. Everyone remembered that every day was a gift worth celebrating at the Ants' Birthday Party, which became a ritual. People outside of the forest heard about the ants' story, and it became a sign of unity, kindness, and the magic of celebration. It showed that even the smallest animals could teach us the most important lessons about love and what it means to celebrate. This is how the story starts: A group of hardworking ants used to live in a busy anthill under the beautiful old oak tree. These ants were known all over the forest for how hard they worked and how well they worked together. They worked together every day to get food and build tunnels to keep their home safe and warm. Even though they had a lot going on, the Ants' Birthday Party was always something they looked forward to. There were a lot of ants in the hive, or rather, in the "anthill" that was under the big oak tree. Working together and supporting each other were more than just beliefs there; they were ways of life. Each ant had a job to do, from the hunters who went out to find food and nectar to the builders who carefully planned and constructed complex tubes under the hill. Their little legs worked hard, carrying leaves that were many times their own length and width and digging paths that wound through the ground like a maze. People in the woods knew how hard the ants worked, and even other animals in the woods respected their persistence. Animals like squirrels, bunnies, and birds were amazed by the ants' well-organized rows, with each ant carrying its own weight, and by how well their society worked as a whole. Even though they worked very hard, the ants loved the Ants' Birthday Party more than anything else. This yearly gathering showed how much they cared about happiness and unity all the time. Everybody in the colony took the day off from work to enjoy the easy things in life. Plans for the Ants' Birthday Party began months ago. Auntie Antella, who is the tallest and smartest ant, was in charge of planning everything. The settlement didn't tell anyone how old she was, but everyone could tell she was smart. She had seen many generations of ants and knew how important it was to build a strong sense of community. Uncle Antella would group the young ants around her, their eyes sparkling with excitement, and tell them stories about festivals that had happened in the past. These stories were more than just fun; they taught us how to work together, be kind, and know how important it is to take a break from the stresses of everyday life. Auntie Antella told the little ants about the time they had Mr. and Mrs. Beetle over, even though they were lost in the bush. When the beetles brought music and dances to the festival, the ants gave them food and a place to live in return. These stories helped them remember that the Ants' Birthday Party was a chance to be kind and friendly to everyone, not just themselves. As time went on, the young ants were happy to offer their skills to help the party go well. Antonio, the anthill's skilled cook, would try out new recipes to make the best party food, and Antoinette, the anthill's artistic soul, would carefully write invitations on a canvas of petals and dewdrops. Antonia, who is very good at planning things, would make sure that everyone had a good day by planning games and other fun things to do. The most important job, though, was picking out a special guest for the party. There would be heated arguments among the young ants over who would represent the party's energy. They could have invited anything from a wise old owl to a beautiful dragonfly, but they chose to invite Queen Butterfly, who was the most beautiful and elegant butterfly in the forest. As the big day got closer, the ants' excitement level went through the roof. By adding wildflowers, leaves, and rocks to their simple anthill, they turned it into a wonderful wonderland. Small tables with pebble seats were set up, and beautiful wreaths made of fragrant flower petals hung over the door, filling the room with a lovely scent. The day of the Ants' Birthday Party, the sun seemed to shine brighter, and the forest seemed to be buzzing with excitement. To celebrate Antonio's birthday, the little ants dressed in their cutest and brightest clothes gathered around his cake, which sparkled with colored crumbs and sugary dew. People from all over the world came to Antoinette's party because of her beautiful invites. Bugs like ladybugs, beetles, crickets, and even a friendly group of bumblebees hummed with happiness as they joined in the fun. To start the party off, the young ants planned a loud dance contest. Ladybugs moved smoothly, beetles tapped their feet to a jazzy beat, and ants did complicated dance moves they had been practicing for weeks. The forest animals were having a great time, and they were laughing and cheering the whole time. The leaves moved in a light breeze, and Queen Butterfly came down from the ceiling just as the party was starting. The anthill was filled with awe when she flew by. Her wings sparkled like a thousand rainbows. The young ants yelled, "Welcome, Queen Butterfly!" "Thank you for coming to our party."

Dinosaurs love to celebrate birthdays. The prehistoric creatures know how to throw a party, too! These fun dinos are getting ready for a big bash, and beginning readers ready to explore are invited to the party! With strong picture-text correlation, readers dive into both the setup and fun of a birthday party. Watching mom and dad dinos getting things ready and seeing friends arrive is a reading adventure readers will never forget, with colorful illustrations to help establish the early literacy skills and set a foundation for future reading success.