A young boy's adventure following a coded message to find his birthday gift acquaints children with following instructions, reading maps and recognizing shapes.

A ten-year-old girl discovers the modern delights of turn-of-the-century New York City when she travels there with her grandmother to visit relatives.

Poppleton the pig makes a new friend after an icicle accident, creates a bust of Cherry Sue, and gets a wintry birthday surprise from his pals.

Illustrations and simple text draw the reader into a family celebration at which a girl receives a dollhouse in which a birthday party is also going on.

Sister is overcome with jealousy when Brother gets a shiny new ten-speed bike for his birthday.

The fairies Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather make a mess trying to surprise Briar Rose on her birthday, but their magic fixes things in the end.

Morris buys a set of paints as a birthday present for Benjamin, but he wants to keep them for himself.

"Minnie Cooper and Quinn Hamilton have never met, but their mothers gave birth to them at the same hospital just after midnight on New Year's Day. Quinn was given the cash prize for being the first baby born in London in 1990-- and the name Minnie was meant to have, as well. Since then each of her birthdays has been a disaster. The two meet on a friends' New Year's part on their mutual thirtieth birthday, and the encounter leaves them both wanting...

Guests at Little Frog's birthday party include the red fox, the purple butterfly, the orange cat, and other colorful animals. The illustrations are designed to demonstrate the concept of complementary colors.

Jumping junebugs, very vivid violets, entertaining earthworms, and other friends of Miss Spider gather to celebrate her birthday.