Summary: Becky's birthday is soon and the family is facing real problems with money, and Becky is feeling miserable. Her birthday is near and it's as if no one even cares. Becky knows that the family is having a hard time with money, so she knows a present is probably out of question, but she wants chicken spaghetti and striped ice cream. The family decides to make her something special for her birthday. They keep it a secret as best they can but Becky feels miserable since she was left out of the dress making. The family pulls it off. Becky gets her ice cream, and a dress that was made just for her in pink, white, and brown. Like stripped ice cream!

Reflect: this was a very good insight into how hard it can be sometimes to provide for people you love in trying times. I loved how it was very relatable, especially for a college student with multiple loans, and debt. It's almost like Christmas and how I have to somehow come up with something for my entire family.

Extension: this would be a good classroom book to help children understand how it's not as easy to provide for people when times are tough. Perhaps even if everyone works together good things can happen. ( )

I read this book over and over again when I was little. I am not sure why it appealed to me so much, but I loved it! It's a simple story of a girl growing up in relative poverty---her mother works as a maid, her father is gone and they struggle quite a bit. A lot of book is her wishes for her birthday---she wants striped ice cream, which is 3 flavor ice cream. Her mother is not sure there is going to be money for it. She does get her special birthday dinner---spagghetti with chicken in it---and a great surprise---her mother has made her a striped dress, striped like striped ice cream. There is just so much love in the family and so many little details that make the family come alive.

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