The best Birthday present ever! by Ben Mantle

Our Kindergarten classes are focusing on stories where we use our imagination.  When I read The best Birthday present ever I was so excited to show it to our staff because here is a book which celebrates using your imagination.  I actually gave each of our Kindy teachers a copy of this book as a present!

Squirrel is invited to Bear's birthday bonanza and of course the perfect present is a stick.  Squirrel wraps the perfect stick carefully and takes it along to the party.  After all the games and delicious food Bear opens his presents.  He receives a turbo fishing rod, a thunder boom drum kit, a mallow-matic 500 and a pop-up castle tent.  Squirrel hands over his gift nervously.

"Oh!' exclaimed Bear, staring at the stick in surprise."

Joy of joys the stick is the perfect present and Bear and Squirrel enjoy a day of fabulous imaginative games until the stick snaps in half.  Is this a disaster?  Read the book and you will find out.

I would pair this book with The Silver Christmas Tree by Pat Hutchins - a favourite book of mine. I now see Ben Mantle has a Christmas book featuring Squirrel and Bear - I need to add this to my shopping list.