Ollie's Birthday Surprise

This new story in the series about Ollie and her friends begins with Ollie unpacking and donning a tiger suit as a birthday present. Then, peep through the cut out to see what Ollie sees, a huge bunch of colourful balloons floating by. She dashes outside to try and capture the balloons, realising she is a tiger so has ROARING powers! Soon she is flying through the air, clutching tight to the balloons until she is gently landed in a forest, with mysterious goings-on. Surprise!! There are her animal friends, all wishing her a Happy Birthday. Then begin the games, all the familiars; a treasure hunt followed by pass the parcel, and musical statues. Guess who won that game… Sloth! As the birthday feast comes to an end, Ollie drifts home with the balloons, and on the final page, there she is, still in her tiger suit, amidst torn wrapping paper and a collection of wild animal toys… just like in her surprise party! A wonderful rendering of an imagined party, with peep holes to take the tale on to the next event. The colour palette is gentle throughout; the pictures are full of charm, and will be an instant memory for small readers of the excitement of birthdays.