"Today is a special day: the birthday of the world, when God and all God's creatures celebrate the beauty of life. As God asks each dear creature in turn whether it has been the best that it can be, this simple affirmation of life and goodness applauds the contribution that each and every one of us - from the mightiest elephant to the smallest child - can make" (Goodreads feature review).

Although the crackled paintings are pretty, there were a few flaws in the narration. First off, we never find out why it's the world's birthday. Secondly, the poetry is disappointing. There is rhythm and flow in the first two lines but it is interrupted by poor word choices and too many syllables:

This year, little beaver, my dear little beaver,
Did you build a strong dam,
Happy that I'd chosen you to widen the pond.

Finally, some of the animals are chosen for the most menial tasks. Elephants usefulness on earth is to clear trunks from the road? Really? The fish lights the dark ocean? Huh?