The Big One-oh

Dean Pitchford's 'The Big One-oh' is a humorous and heartwarming chapter book about Charley Maplewood, a boy turning ten who desperately wants to make friends. Despite his social anxieties, Charley decides to throw himself a birthday party, which quickly devolves into a series of comical mishaps, including a ruined cake and a garage fire. The story deftly explores themes of loneliness, friendship, and resilience, as Charley navigates social challenges, including inviting the class bully. It's a relatable read for children aged 7-11, offering both laugh-out-loud moments and a gentle message about self-acceptance and finding your place.

Charley Maplewood has never been one for parties— that would require friends, which he doesn’t have. But now that he’s turning ten—the big oneoh— he decides to throw a birthday party for himself. Of course things don’t work out as he plans. In trying to make friends, he ends up inviting the class bully, and that’s before he ruins the cake and sets the garage on fire. Will Charley be able to pull it together before the big one-oh . . . becomes the big OH-NO?