In Brown's 13th book about Arthur, the bespectacled hero finds out he has scheduled his birthday party at the same time as Muffy's party. Arthur has relatives coming from Ohio; Muffy has already booked a rock band and Pickles the Clown. Neither of them can change the date. Their friends reluctantly take sides, the girls choosing Muffy's party and the boys choosing Arthur's, even though they wish they could go to both. Finally, Arthur and his friend Francine surprise everyone with a fine compromise. ``After all,'' says Arthur, ``what's a birthday party without all your friends!'' Because of the spare text, the resolution of the plot may not be entirely clear to all readers, but the festive watercolor-and-ink drawings are full of the homey details, lovably familiar characters and verve that has come to be associated with this series. Ages 4-8. (May) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Solid, satisfying stories in their original picture book format, these Arthur books are not the best candidates for small board book editions. While preschoolers may enjoy the stories (especially 'Arthur's Baby'), babies and toddlers just won't care. From HORN BOOK Fall 1998, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Problem: Muffy and Arthur have each invited the whole class to a birthday party, but the two parties are planned for the same time and neither can be changed--all Arthur's relatives are coming from Ohio, and Muffy's parents (who live at 66 Nou Veau Riche Dr.) have booked a rock band. First solution, which pleases no one: boys to Arthur's (""Who needs girls?""), girls to Muffy's (""Anyone who doesn't come to my party can't be my friend""). Better plan: Arthur and his friend Francine secretly invite all the girls to his house, successfully surprising Muffy with a joint party. A satisfying addition to a popular series. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Ages 5-7. The popular Arthur returns to celebrate his birthday and finds himself contending with a troubling situation that will be familiar to readers. Excitement reigns when Arthur invites the class to his party, but Muffy is upset--her party is on the same day. At first, it looks as if there will be a standoff, with the boys going to Arthur's house and the girls celebrating at Muffy's. Happily, Arthur has an idea to rectify the dilemma. He sends invitations to the girls and a note to Muffy asking her to come over and pick up a special present. She arrives to find that the kids have joined forces; Arthur's birthday gala is now also a surprise party for Muffy--a happy, if not entirely realistic solution. While some of the drawings do not look as carefully executed as others in the series, for the most part, the illustrations do capture the story's festive air. A welcome addition for Arthur's fans. --Ilene Cooper

K-Gr 3-- The adventures of Arthur the aardvark continue as he anticipates his birthday party. Excitement builds as he hands out invitations to his friends at school--and then he discovers that Muffy is having a party on Saturday afternoon, too. The dates can't be changed; Arthur's relatives are coming, and Muffy's booked a clown and a rock band. By the next day, the boys have decided to go to Arthur's party, the girls to Muffy's. With his usual wisdom, Arthur saves the day. He and Francine forge Muffy's handwriting on new invitations, changing the location of her party to Arthur's house (his parents are included in the plan). The unsuspecting Muffy is lured there by the promise of a present too big to fit in her mailbox. Of course, the gift is a surprise party, heartily enjoyed by both boys and girls. Brown's familiar watercolors have lots of interesting details--kites caught in trees, a male relative wearing a ``Liberated Partner'' apron. Arthur's warm, loving family and his diplomatic approach to problem solving strike just the right note--positive and believable. The ``Arthur'' stories are primary-grade favorites; children will enjoy this latest offering. Other recent birthday stories are Frank Modell's Ice Cream Soup (Greenwillow, 1988), in which another joint party turns into a surprise, and the Sick-in-Bed Birthday Book (Viking, 1988) by Linda Tyler, about a delayed celebration that turns out fine. --Lucy Young Clem, Evansville Vanderburgh County Public Library, Ind. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.