The Great Cake Bake


Author/Illustrator:
Helen Ketteman/Matt Collins

Plot Summary:
As a patriotic citizen in a town called Danville, Donna Rae Hadley had lots of big ideas. When the Mayor announced a cake-baking competition for the fourth of July, Donna embraced the challenge and was determined to bake the biggest, most delicious, most patriotic cake in town.

Comments:
This book caught my eye in the library because I love to use food to illustrate books. This book is a slightly wacky twist on patriotism and the fourth of July. It also illustrates how the best of intentions can sometimes lead you astray but with a happy ending.

Extensions:
1. I would bake a cake in some recognizable shape related to the story to serve the day I read this book.
2. Children could make American flags by decorating their own rectangular shaped cookie. They could "paint" red and white frosting in stripes, a blue rectangle with white, candy stars.

Themes/keywords:
baking, contest, fourth of July, Statue of Liberty

Age/Reading Level:
Interest level - K-3; ATOS/Follett - 2.0

Standards:
SSKH1- The student will identify the purpose of national holidays and describe the people or events celebrated.(Independence Day.)
SSKH2 - The student will identify important American symbols and explain their meaning.
(ie. Statue of Liberty, Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, national and state flags, etc.)

Publisher's Info:
Walker and Company, New York. 2005

ISBN-13: 978-0-8027-8950-1
ISBN-10: 0-8027-8950-1

Awards/Review Sources:
Booklist (June 1, 2005 (Vol. 101, No. 19))

Horn Book (Fall 2005)
School Library Journal (May 1, 2005)
Genre/Dewey: Fiction/Easy

Websites:

Notes for Booktalk:

Vocabulary:

Comments