Book Review: The Ninth Birthday Wish by Bruce E. Arrington and Florence Jayne

Birthday wishes…for twins? 

Bril and Arisa, though twins they may be,
Are so very unlike, as you will soon see.
Their wishes are different as Sea is from Land,
But watch what happens to what they had planned! 

Bruce Arrington and Florence Jayne team up to being you an unforgettable tale of twins, who each wanted their birthday wish–away from the other. But when their wishes get all mixed up, unintended consequences make for unplanned adventures.

As with all good picture books, let’s start with the illustrations. Jayne’s whimsical and colorful art is the cornerstone of this story. Bril and Arisa were introduced, each with their own unique personalities, and that came through excellently in the illustrations. Young readers will be pleased by the movement and the vibrancy on the pages, with pirates aplenty!

The story itself is sweet as well. Bril and Arisa, as different as night and day, are given the chance to make a wish each for their ninth birthday. When their wishes are switched, they get a lot more than they expected to out of this day. It was fun to watch them try to navigate the new places they found themselves, and I loved the idea that they each got to learn something about one another while doing it.

Small things that I want to mention. The rhyme scheme here is a little jarring. It isn’t consistent, which makes for a tough read aloud. Yes, I do read all picture books allowed to check. Mainly to my puppy. She’s an excellent storytime companion. Also, some of the print is a tiny bit difficult to read over the colors of the illustrations. It’s entirely possible that my issue was mainly because I had a digital version, but just a heads up.

Overall though, I thought this was a very sweet story with a very important message for young readers. It’s important for siblings to understand one another, and sometimes even walk in the shoes of one another. Arrington brought that to life simply and beautifully.

FTC Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. I was not monetarily compensated for my opinion.