Maybe it’s just because my birthday is later this month, but I’ve been in the mood for good birthday and birthday cake stories lately. One of my favorites to read with younger kids, approximately ages 4-7, is Whopper Cake by Karma Wilson (of Bear Snores On fame) and Will Hillenbrand.
This is a funny picturebook about Granddad making a chocolate cake for Grandma’s birthday, but it doesn’t stop at that simplicity. What Granddad has in mind is not your run-of-the-mill cake, oh no, it’s a whopper cake made with 23 pounds of sugar, 86 eggs, 24 boxes of cocoa and ten bags of flour! From using an oar to mix the batter in the back of a jalopy to baking the cake in the hot July sun, this story always reminds me a bit of John Vernon Lord’s the Giant Jam Sandwich, sans wasps.
Between the whimsical artwork and the folksy twang of the rhymes, this story always brings a laugh, smile and a craving for chocolate cake. Luckily, there is a good chocolate cake recipe at the end so you can move right into the kitchen to start making your own whopper mess with your family and friends!
Other good birthday stories include:
Happy Birthday Hamster by Cynthia Lord
Happy Birthday to You by Dr. Seuss
Mouse’s Birthday by Jane Yolen
Scaredy Squirrel Has a Birthday Party by Melanie Watt
Happy Birthday, Frankie by Sarah Weeks
Cake Girl by David Lucas
Happy March everyone!
