MEGABAT AND THE NOT-HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Megabat goes overboard at Daniel’s birthday, causing a bit of trouble.

Daniel’s birthday is coming up, and he’s throwing a party. All of his friends are excited and ask Daniel what he wants for presents. Megabat wants some too, but when Daniel explains that only the birthday person receives gifts, Megabat thinks it is unfair. As Daniel prepares for his All-You-Can-Eat Sugar Cereal Pig-Out Party, going shopping and making a piñata, Megabat’s excitement starts to grow. But Megabat notices Daniel and their friend Talia keeping secrets, causing Megabat to feel left out. On the day of the party, Megabat has to hide under Daniel’s hat, can’t play the party games, and is scolded a few times. When Megabat loses his temper, he breaks one of Daniel’s birthday presents and decides to run away. Megabat soon finds out being alone with nowhere to go is not easy or fun. This fourth installment of the series is another funny, quirky story about personal insecurities and friendship. Megabat here comes off as whiny rather than sympathetic, with behavior that may alienate readers. The familiar black-and-white drawings are adorable, however. Megabat’s idiosyncratic English can be difficult to read and understand at times. Daniel is of Japanese heritage; Talia presents White.

Fans of the series will enjoy this amusing fourth book, but newcomers may have a hard time warming up to the title character.