The Secret Birthday Message

A message in code starts a little boy off on an exciting treasure hunt through a dark cave, an underground tunnel, and more—until at the end he finds a happy surprise. This classic picture book from the beloved Eric Carle can be shared as an enjoyable story. Preschoolers will be intrigued by the adventures and pleased by the puppy at the conclusion. The Secret Birthday Message can also be used as a fun spring board for teaching some basic concepts. As Publishers Weekly noted, the book introduces pattern recognition, matching shapes, map-reading, and directional relationships. The nonprofit MathThroughStories organization recommends reading the book and then having children create their own maps with directions for a treasure hunt, encouraging the use of geometric shapes.