This book shows a young city-dwelling family celebrating their young baby’s half birthday with a long walk, and a picnic in the community park. This book shows a realistic picture of life in the city, including graffiti on walls, traffic sounds, and strangers in the park who are curious about the family’s celebration. This book is colorful illustrated, poignant in its portrayal of both parents and their personal styles. This book is great for young children and defies stereotypes and popular depictions of families in the suburbs who look a certain way. This story is inclusive, and will allow for many more families to feel seen. One short phrase I took with me from this story was their calling a park the “half country”, showing their long journey to get there and how it felt like an oasis from where they lived in the city. ( )

YOU GUYS I LOVE BOB GRAHAM SO MUCH.

You see, no one can wait a full year to throw Oscar a party. It's adorable and sweet and kind of makes me teary eyed. I'm totally throwing my child a half-birthday picnic inspired by this book.

The thing I love about Bob Graham is that his families are shown in urban settings, doing things people in cities do (walking past graffiti covered bridges, looking at traffic and factories). And the parents in this one are biracial but no one makes a big deal out of it, it's just normal life (I can only think of one other picture book, The Hello Goodbye Window,like this). The illustrations are so intricate that you can spend tons of time going over details. Oh and in some of his other books the parents have tattoos but it also isn't a big deal.

Bob Graham is my go-to picture book author for urban hipster parents, basically. ( )

Oscar's family set out to the hillside to have a picnic and celebrate his six month birthday. The family is joined by the community as they sing happy birthday to sweet Oscar. Oscar seems to capture the hearts of everyone around him like most babies do. You can't help but envision this perfect day and how this sweet family felt the love on this special day! ( )

Millie and her family enjoy celebrating her baby brothers half birthday in the half country. The whole community joins in the celebration and sings Happy Birthday. As the evening comes to an end, Millie falls asleep realizing that her birthday will be next will four full candles. ( )

I liked this book because it had such diverse characters. The mom was African American and the dad was white. I think that so many times in children's books the parents are of the same race. However, seeing how happy Oscar's parents are and how they gave him the best half-birthday ever really opens up kids minds.