I Remember My Eighth Birthday

I Remember My Eighth Birthday is the story of an eight-year-old child-whose gender is not revealed so all young readers might see themselves in this-who wakes to find a red ruksak at the foot of the bed in which is a handwritten note that reads: Gather objects from your world, Common and uncommon things, A secret then will be unfurled, You will travel with your wings. Thingamajigs for every year, Wherever you might find them. Some are far, others near, Then understand this poem. This launches the child on a birthday journey (with subtle references to Homer's Odyssey) to find eight thingamajigs that hold a secret. The secret is unfurled in a daydream when the objects come to life, each singing a poetic verse;. The tale ends with tea with mother who suggests that maybe this could be a story to write. The eighth thingamajig is a pen.
Kirkus Review
On a youngster's eighth birthday, a note sparks a scavenger hunt for "common and uncommon things" in this illustrated
children's book.
The resulting journey is leisurely, evocative, and without clear
conclusions-but takes seriously the expanded capacity for the contemplation of time, history, and meaning that comes to
youngsters as they get older.
An engaging tale for kids intrigued by significant mementos and their relationships to the past.