The Birthday Of The World

'Her most important book since ALWAYS COMING HOME and her most satisfactory collection since her first, the brilliant THE WIND'S TWELVE QUARTERS. A formidable and rewarding work, a prime candidate for best SF collection of the year. An essential book.' LOCUS Six of the eight piece are set in Le Guin's classic Hainish cycle. The title story, 'The Birthday of the World', stands alone and the final piece, 'Paradises Lost', is a new short novel original to the collection, a major addition to the generation starship subgenre of science fiction.

Today is a special day: the birthday of the world, when God and all God’s creatures celebrate the beauty of life. As God asks each dear creature in turn whether it has been the best that it can be, this simple affirmation of life and goodness applauds the contribution that each and every one of us— from the mightiest elephant to the smallest child— can make. The whimsical animals in Alison Jay’s perfectly composed crackled paintings will make this a favorite book on the family shelf.

"Every child in the world has a birthday. But how children celebrate this occasion depends on where they live. In this latest addition to the Around the World series, award-winning author Margriet Ruurs explores the fascinating ways that children experience birthdays. You'll meet fourteen kids from different countries, each celebrating a birthday according to their local traditions. Bram from Belgium never gets to sleep in on his birthday - his family wakes him up by clanging pots and pans. For Ninoshka in India, it's important to give thanks to the Hindu gods and share sweets with her classmates. And some kids don't celebrate their birthdays at all. Instead, Phúc Khang in Vietnam celebrates Tet, when everyone in the country turns one year older. A world map that pinpoints the countries in the book, a Note to Parents and Teachers with interactive activities and a glossary of foreign words and phrases help to enrich the reading experience. Based on interviews with real people from each country, Birthdays Around the World is an invitation to experience a different culture, think about your own birthday celebrations and even learn how to say "Happy Birthday" in another language (like Hawaiian: "Hau oli la hanau" [ho-O-lee LA HA-now])!"--

A young child learns how the special food, candles, horn blowing, and presents that are part of the Jewish New Year Rosh Hashanan are similar and yet different from everyone's birthday celebration.

A Swiss classic back in print! Beloved illustrator Hans Fischer’s captivating story—about Old Lisette and her many animals that throw a surprise birthday party for her—has charmed generations of children. When Lisette goes to the village on her birthday, her dog, Bello, and the other animals get to work. The cats bake a cake, the chickens lay extra eggs, the goat picks flowers for the birthday table, and the rabbits find seventy-six candles. When Lisette returns in the evening, she is surprised by the animals welcoming her to a festive table. After the meal, Bello put on a play for Lisette, and the ducks organize a party on the pond. But the highlight of the party is the most beautiful birthday surprise: the cats, Mauli and Ruli, proudly show Lisette their new baby kittens. Fischer’s inimitable lines and colorful palette make this birthday celebration one to remember.

'A lovely, emotion-filled, giggle-inducing story' Sunday Times bestselling author Milly Johnson She wanted a birthday surprise, just not the one she got...

OH NO!!! You found The Worst Book in the Whole Entire World! Well, since you're already here I may as well tell you about it... Poor Nameless tries to explain to the reader why this book is simply the WORST book in the whole entire world. Will he succeed in his noble quest? Is he the reason this book is the worst?? Will it have a happy ending or the worst ending ever??? The Worst Book in the Whole Entire World is a humorous and witty tale for young and seasoned readers. Whatever you do though, don't read it out loud! You may catch wind of these words: toot, stinky, booger, and booty. You've been warned, but you'll still want to see what happens next!