PROPER BADGER WOULD NEVER!

Think carefully about your next party’s guest list.

Badger’s been invited to a birthday party—well, sort of. The invitation blew out of the mail carrier’s bag, and he picked it up. Badger’s always wanted to attend a party, and he’s sure the host will want to meet him. He’ll act very proper because he knows parties require perfect decorum. But things go less than smoothly. The other guests notice odd occurrences: Someone has made a cozy nest out of all the wrapping paper, clawed the birthday cake, burrowed into the host’s bed, attacked the piñata, used the hallway rug as a toilet, and buried the cheese platter in a potted plant. Who’s responsible? All the clues (pink icing on his snout, pawprints on the wall) make it clear that Proper Badger is to blame, but, as the narrator repeatedly tells us, “Proper Badger doesn’t know, because he did not do this.” Fed up, some guests believe Proper Badger should vamoose, but Proper Badger’s not quite ready to leave. This riotous tale, told in a tongue-in-cheek voice, will have kids chuckling and eagerly discussing whether they’d want to attend a party with Proper Badger. The colorful illustrations are energetic; Badger’s innocent expression is adorable. The birthday girl presents Black; the guests are diverse in terms of race and physical ability.

A giggle inducer and a fun read at an upcoming birthday party.