Happy Birthday, Jamela!
By Patricia Tauzer,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Imagination turns disappointment to birthday joy.
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this book.
Where to Read
Community Reviews
There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
What's the Story?
When Jamela gets "nice and strong" school shoes to go with her birthday dress instead of the Princess shoes she wants, she "wants to cry." She decides to decorate her shoes to make them sparkle, making her mom very upset with her. However, in the end, Jamela's creativity pays off and her birthday is all she had hoped it would be.
Is It Any Good?
Kids will enjoy reading about Jamela, an imaginative, independent girl who, when threatened with disappointment, takes matters into her own hands. She makes her clunky black shoes sparkle and glitter -- as a pair of party shoes should! The message may be a little confusing, even to adult readers -- was Jamela right to decorate her school shoes? But kids will be instantly drawn to the happy, creative protagonist, whose love of life shines through all she touches. Just don't be surprised if they all want to decorate their shoes after reading her story.
The watercolor illustrations are happy and festive though pastel in tone. Faces are sensitively painted, which adds to the personality of the story. Though the story is universal, the chicken in the house, the tropical fruit vendor on the neighborhood street, and the inclusion of phrases from the South African Xhosa language gives us a clearer sense of Jamela's world.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about choices that need to be made when buying clothes: What makes a pair of shoes practical or impractical? Should the parent or the child make the final choices? Would you expect your parents to be angry if you decorated your clothing without talking to them first? Families might also talk about birthday wishes and expectations: What kinds of things do you hope for on your birthday? What if things do not turn out as you wish? Finally, families who read this book might enjoy spending time together decorating items of clothing.
Book Details
- Author: Niki Daly
- Illustrator: Niki Daly
- Genre: Picture Book
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
- Publication date: August 15, 2006
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 4 - 7
- Number of pages: 32
- Last updated: July 12, 2017
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Read
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate