"Jack was feeling a little bit foolish for thinking everyone had forgotten his birthday."
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Jack's Big Surprise by Ellen A. Yutkins Trafford Publishing
book review by Mihir Shah
Ellen A. Yutkins' Jack's Big Surprise is a heartwarming children's story that revolves around every child's favorite day: his birthday! Accompanied by Juli Hasegawa's stunning illustrations, Jack's Big Surprise delivers a panoramic story that is bound to pique the imaginations of today's kids. There are kids who enjoy looking at pictures rather than reading words; this book caters to both visual and text readers.
Though a children's story, Yutkins’ writing style does not consist of simple sentences, but rather complex/compound sentences that will help young readers develop their sentence structure skills. Additionally, the paragraph format—instead of one line pages—and use of advanced vocabulary words such as "clatter" fosters growth and learning.
Jack's Big Surprise features the Rabbit family, including Jack Rabbit and Grandpa Rabbit. On Jack's birthday, he wakes up to the delicious aroma of apple pie. To his great disappointment, however, the tantalizing dessert is for Mrs. Groundhog's house—and he has to deliver it! No one remembers his birthday.
Whether you are a child now or an adult looking back at your childhood, the anticipation and sheer excitement of birthday parties is unparalleled. Yutkins does a commendable job of conveying these feelings of exhilaration. Jack's birthday begins with disappointment, but he is completely oblivious to the grandiose surprise that is being planned for him. Friends and family eagerly waiting for Jack to arrive and yell "Surprise," captures the ambiance and spirit of the birthday. After all, "birthdays are a lot more fun when you can share them with family and friends."