About the Author

Liz Garton Scanlon is the author of numerous celebrated picture books, including One Dark Bird; In the Canyon; Happy Birthday, Bunny!; the Caldecott Honor recipient All the World; Thank You, Garden; and The Family Tree. Liz is an adjunct professor of creative writing at Austin Community College, and her poetry has been published widely in literary journals. She lives with her family in Austin, Texas. Visit her at LizGartonScanlon.com.

Stephanie Graegin is the illustrator of numerous books for children, including Super Manny Stands Up! by Kelly DiPucchio; Water in the Park by Emily Jenkins; Happy Birthday, Bunny! by Liz Garton Scanlon; Peace Is an Offering by Annette LeBox; and Listen by Gabi Snyder. She earned her BFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art and her MFA in printmaking from Pratt Institute, and she currently lives in Brooklyn, New York. You can visit her at Graegin.com.

Reviews

* “This is as memorable and heartfelt as a birthday book gets…. This isn’t about irony; it’s pure celebration, and readers will share wholeheartedly in the pleasure.”
*Publishers Weekly, November 19, 2012, *STARRED REVIEW*

* “Scanlon delivers a sweet, rhyming text to tell the story of a little bunny’s birthday in Graegin’s debut picture book…. Perhaps taking a cue from the closing line’s reference to the girl as “sweet honey bun,” Graegin casts the unnamed central characters as a family of anthropomorphic bunnies,introducing a veritable peaceable kingdom of relatives and friends who come to celebrate on the special day. Graegin’s illustrations…mark her as an up-and-coming artist to watch, as they evoke a style akin to that of Peter McCarty, Laura McGee Kvasnosky and Polly Dunbar. Happy birthday to a splendid book for new birthday boys and girls.”
*Kirkus Reviews, December 15, 2012, *STARRED REVIEW*

"Rhyming couplets take an unnamed birthday bunny from the start of her day until bedtime.... Graegin’s pencil and watercolor pictures depict a sweet and cozy world filled with fun, love, guests, and presents. The art and text work beautifully together.... The pictures have lots of excellent detail, such as Mother and Nana both wearing dresses with carrot patterns–one subtle and one less so. Perfect for storytime or individual sharing."
*School Library Journal, February 2013*

"In rhyming verse, a little bunny asks multiple questions about her birthday celebration (“What are these and what are those?”) and receives answers from her family (“Fancy shoes and party clothes!”)...pure sweetness.... The warm, soft tones of Graegin’s illustrations, pencil and ink digitally assembled on cream pages, evoke coziness and contentment and the little white bunny birthday girl is as cute as a button in her golden crown, saffron party dress, and beribboned shoes. The comely cast of woodland animals (including beavers, foxes, owls) resemble cuddly, plush animals, and youngsters will feel at home with the festive critters in their colorful clothing and party hats...something to tide over kids for whom a whole year seems too long to go between birthdays."
*The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, April 2013*

"A little bunny asks plenty of questions on her birthday, and each time, she receives a rhyming answer.... The short lines of text read aloud well, and the page turns between questions and answers give children a chance to respond in their own ways.... This joyful introduction to birthdays focuses on a bunny who is old enough to articulate her questions but young enough to see the wonder of it all."
*Booklist, December 2012*