The Best Birthday Present Ever!

Written by Ben Mantle

Can a simple stick be the perfect gift for a bear with everything?

5.5/7 Bookroo experts·4.0/5 Goodreads · 58 ratings

32 pages· 550 words· Est. 5 min read-aloud

$14.95Save 6%

In stock. Also at Amazon.

Bookroo's summary

Squirrel is thrilled to attend Big Bear's birthday party but faces a dilemma: what do you give a bear who has it all? After much searching, Squirrel chooses a humble stick. As Bear unwraps his gifts, Squirrel's anxiety grows. Is a stick enough? With a touch of imagination and the bond of friendship, even the simplest gift can become extraordinary. Discover how Squirrel's heartfelt choice transforms into something magical in this charming tale of friendship and creativity.

From the publisher

Squirrel is super excited: he’s been invited to Big Bear’s birthday party! Now he just has to find the perfect present for his friend—but what can you give a bear who already has EVERYTHING? Squirrel searches and searches and chooses . . . a stick! As Bear unwraps his stack of gifts Squirrel begins to worry: is it enough? But with a little imagination, and a good friend, even the simplest stick can become magical. This funny, heartwarming story of friendship is a great gift—and not just for bears!

At a glance

Format: Hardcover
Pages: 32
Words: 550
Reading age: 3–5
Audience: Picture
Lexile: AD490L

Themes & topics

Books about birthdays Books about friendship Books about presents and gifts Books about gratitude Books about imagination

What readers & critics say

Reviews

5.5

out of 7

5.8

“Who hasn't agonized over the perfect gift for a friend? Poor squirrel wants to find the absolute perfect gift for his friend bear. The animal characters are charming, the pacing is perfect. Ben Mantel is spot-on describing bear's opening of gifts and that anxious moment when bear opens squirrel's gift and hasn't commented. It is a wonderful thing to know a friend so well that you really can choose "The Best Birthday Present Ever!" It might even be that the real gift is friendship.”

Grammy

Trusted reviewer

6.3

“The sweetest book demonstrating friendship and imagination! I love how graciously Bear accepts his gift from Squirrel, and that he truly appreciates it, even though the others don't think it's that amazing. Bear and Squirrel know how to put the gift to use with their imaginations, creating way more fun than just another toy, and they do it all while sharing it together! :) Plus, the illustrations are so cute!”

B is for Bookworm

Trusted reviewer

5.0

“I still remember the anxiety I felt as a child of having the birthday gift I brought to a party unwrapped and wondering what their reaction would be, so as Squirrel watches Bear unwrap fancier and fancier presents and questions the carefully chosen stick he'd brought, I felt with him, but Bear's reaction is utterly perfect and priceless and teaches a great lesson about imagination, graciousness and the power of friendship. The illustrations are adorable too!”

Marmee

Trusted reviewer

For readers who can't stop at one