Being the Adventures of a Knowledgeable Stingray, a Toughy Little Buffalo, and Someone Called Plastic by Emily Jenkins

announces the Little Girl, “a very special happy birthday to my extra-best friend,
StingRay!”
She cuts off the piece of cupcake with the blue frosting rose on it, and serves it onto StingRay’s plate. “Lumphy, I got you when I turned five. Then you, Plastic, when I turned six!But I’ve had StingRay since I turned four.” She reaches over and scratches where the ears would be, if StingRay had ears. “I hope you all have the best birthdays in the world.”
    “Ooohhh,” cries StingRay, leaning into the scratch. “It’s my birthday, too!”
    “Happy birthday,” says Lumphy.
    “And she gave me the frosting rose.”
    “ ’Cause it’s your birthday!” cries Plastic.
    “Yes, it is,” says StingRay. “Didn’t I tell you before?”
    … …
    Late that night, when StingRay and the Little Girl are supposedly asleep in the big high bed, Plastic and Lumphy hear a song coming from up there.
    “Sting-RAY, diddle-eye-oh,
Birth-DAY, diddle-eye-ee,
Who’s got a birthday?StingRay, StingRay!
Diddle-eye, Diddle-ee,
That means me!”
    If Lumphy stands on tiptoe, he can see StingRay’s flippers waving around in a dance.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
 
    Emily Jenkins is the author of several books for children and adults, including
Toys Go Out
, hailed as "ideal bedtime reading" by the
Wall Street Journal; Skunkdog; What Happens on Wednesdays;
and
That New Animal
and
Five Creatures
, each of which received a
Boston Globe–Horn Book
Honor. Ms. Jenkins lives in Brooklyn, New York.
    Visit her at www.emilyjenkins.com .
ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR
 
    Paul O. Zelinsky's retelling of the classic fairy tale,
Rapunzel
, was awarded the 1998 Caldecott Medal. He has also received three Caldecott honors, for
Hansel and Gretel, Rumpelstiltskin,
and
Swamp Angel
. Mr. Zelinsky is the creator of two pull-tab books:
The Wheels on the Bus
and
Knick-Knack Paddywack!
, a
New York Times
Best Illustrated Book. His illustrations for
Toys Go Out
were called "charming…wonderfully detailed" by
Kirkus Reviews
. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.
    Visit him at www.paulozelinsky.com .