Birthdays are supposed to be a blast, but Deja's got the birthday blues! The second book about Nikki and Deja, two African American third-grade girls who are best friends. Deja's birthday is coming up, and she's been talking about it for weeks. But just before the big day, Auntie Dee gets called away on a business trip and Deja must stay with an elderly neighbour . . . who cooks turnips for dinner and doesn't even have a colour TV! Worse, the machinations of spoiled Antonia, Deja's new nemesis, threaten to ruin Deja's birthday party plans. Like the first book, this story captures with subtlety and humour all the small betrayals and triumphs of young girls' relationships. Readers will get a wider view of the girls' diverse urban neighbourhood, and will recognize themselves and their classmates in the colourful, deftly drawn school scenes. A more serious theme is also introduced (with a light touch) in a subplot concerning Deja's absent father. AUTHOR Karen English is a Coretta Scott King Honor Award-winning author and an elementary school teacher. In addition to her three books about Nikki and Deja, she is the author of Hot Day on Abbott Avenue, illustrated by Javaka Steptoe, also published by Clarion Books ALL NIKKI and DEJA TITLES: 9780618752386 Nikki and Deja HB 9780547133621 Nikki and Deja PB 9780618977871 Nikki and Deja Birthday Blues HB 9780547248936 Nikki and Deja Birthday Blues PB 9780547435589 Nikki and Deja Election Madness HB 9780547615653 Nikki and Deja Substitute Trouble HB 9780544223882 Nikki and Deja Substitute Trouble PB 9780547222479 Nikki and Deja The Newsy Newsletter HB 9780547615646 Nikki and Deja Wedding Drama HB 9780544003248 Nikki and Deja Wedding Drama PB
