Book cover titled "Harold's Birthday Bash Blunder" with a subtitle "A Hilarious Tale About Learning Patience & Impulse Control," featuring a surprised young boy with his hands behind his head and other children in the background, on a yellow background with red accents.

Book 3 - Harold's Birthday Bash Blunder

Theme: Patience & Impulse Control

About the Book

In Harold's Birthday Bash Blunder, Harold learns an important lesson: Think before you act; good things come to those who wait This engaging story shows children ages 7-13 how this value applies to their own lives through humor, relatable characters, and heartfelt moments of growth.

Sneak Peek

Meet Hazardous Harold

Harold is all arms and legs, elbows and knees—a 9-year-old with light brown hair who's taller than most kids his age and has a special talent for creating unintentional chaos wherever he goes. For Harold, every day is an unpredictable adventure. But behind each mishap is a valuable life lesson—friendship, patience, making amends, and the courage to own your mistakes—that helps him grow in the most heartwarming ways.

Chapter 1: The Perfect Party Plan

It was Saturday morning, and Murphy's birthday party was happening in just three hours. Harold stood in his new backyard, throwing a tennis ball for Spike, his energetic Jack Russell Terrier.

"This time, buddy, nothing's going to go wrong," Harold told Spike, who was too busy chasing the ball to care about Harold's promises. "No volcanic eruptions. No borrowed parakeets. Just a nice, normal birthday party."

Spike dropped the ball at Harold's feet and barked twice, as if to say, "Sure, Harold. We'll see about that."

Ever since the science fair fiasco and the whole Pet Day disaster, Harold had been working hard to think before he acted. Plan ahead. Be mindful. All the grown-up stuff Principal Bloom and his mum kept talking about.

And today was going to prove he'd learned his lessons.

Murphy's party had everything: a bouncing castle, a slippery slide, and most importantly, a massive triple-decker chocolate volcano cake—almost as spectacular as Harold's infamous MEGA 3000, but hopefully much less explosive.

"Come on, Spike!" Harold called. "Let's get ready. And remember—we're being GOOD today. No chaos. No disasters. Just fun."

Spike wagged his tail enthusiastically, which Harold chose to interpret as agreement rather than the mischievous gleam it probably was.

Chapter 2: It All Started with a Sausage Roll
Murphy's backyard was party paradise. The bouncing castle stood tall and proud, its entrance flap waving in the breeze. The slippery slide gleamed in the sunshine. And there, on the snack table, sat row after row of delicious treats: sausage rolls, fairy bread, chips, lollies, and the crown jewel—Murphy's birthday cake.
Murphy's dad had made sure all the electrical cables for the bouncing castle and slippery slide were safely secured along the edge of the snack table so nobody would trip.
"You can see where this is going," Mia whispered to Harold as they arrived.
"Nope! Not this time!" Harold insisted. "I've learned my lesson. I'm all about planning and patience now."
Spike, on his leash beside Harold, sniffed the air and whined. So many delicious smells!
Murphy—nicknamed "Smurf" by everyone—grinned when he saw Harold. "Hazman! You made it! And you brought Spike!"
"Wouldn't miss it, birthday boy," Harold said, giving his best friend a high-five.
The party was perfect. Kids were bouncing, sliding, laughing. Harold was being so careful, so mindful, so—
His stomach grumbled.
Loudly.
Like an angry concrete mixer.
Harold looked at the snack table. Murphy's mum had made the rules very clear:
1. Sing Happy Birthday
2. Blow out the candles
3. Eat the cake
4. THEN snacks
But Harold's stomach didn't care about party rules. It mumbled, "Saaaauuuusaaaageeee rooooolllll..."
"Just one," Harold whispered to himself. "Just one tiny sausage roll. I'll be super careful."
He handed Spike's leash to Mia. "Hold Spike for a sec?"
Mia raised an eyebrow. "Harold, what are you"
"Just getting one sausage roll! I'll be right back!