It was the day of Alisha Johnson's birthday, but she hadn't managed to invite anyone over.

You see, this really popular girl in her class, Sally Michaels, was having a birthday party as well, and since her house had more cool things, everyone was going to her birthday party. Abandoning poor Alisha like that...

Dear _____,

You are invited to Alisha's birthday party! 12:00 P.M., second house down Peony Street! There'll be refreshments, balloons, and FUN!!!

Alisha got sad and wrote an invitation for no one.

But then she thought about her situation, and sobbed. She threw the invitation out of the window.

Dear ____,

you are--

The invitation fell, fell, fell onto the ground.

But then... Lily, Alisha's neighborhood friend, found the invitation!

Dear _____,

You are invited to Alisha's birthday party! 12:00 P.M., second house down Peony Street! There'll be refreshments, balloons, and FUN!!!

She said, "Alisha's having a party? Well she should've told me earlier! I'm surprising her with a gift!"

Put Up Your Papers Here!

Dear _____,

You are invited to my birthday party! 12:00 P.M., second house down Peony Street! There'll be refreshments, balloons, and FUN!!!

And she left the invitation there.

Gerald, Alisha's family friend, saw the invitation. He also planned a gift.

Then came Stuart and his son, Herbert--Alisha's dad's colleague and his son. What would Alisha like? They already started thinking.

Next was Miss Colleen, from the department store. She thought of that toy Alisha had always wanted...

Finally came Rosa and her little sister Ella. They thought of what Alisha would like as a surprise...

They all arrived in Alisha's village around the same time. They looked at each other and said, "Are you here for the party, too?"

And they were.

Knock, knock, went the door.

"Who is it," said Alisha sadly.