It's Mr. Whiskers' birthday, and nothing seems to be going right for the scruffy old sea captain. The puppy he rescues (and promptly falls in love with) must be returned to its owners, and the special meal he prepares for his persnickety sister Sarah's visit is a disaster. Fortunately, Maggie, Grandmother and the rest of Mr. Whiskers' friends in Cranberryport are there to save the day, creating a beautiful feast and, in Maggie's case, providing a much-longed for gift...

The sixth book in Wende and Harry Devlin's series of picture-books set in Cranberryport, a small New England village on the edge of a cranberry bog, Cranberry Birthday is the ninth I have read. Like so many of the other books in the series, it pairs an engaging, ultimately heartwarming story of friendship and community with appealing vintage-style artwork. The depiction of Mr Whiskers here is particularly expressive, and I found his swimming outfit delightful! I think this whole series is charming, and am so glad that the Kentucky-based small publisher, Purple House Press, has been bringing some of them back into print! Recommended to picture-book readers looking for birthday stories, as well as to fans of the Cranberryport series. ( )