[LM_NET] BOOK REVIEW: Whopper Cake by Karma Wilson [Grades K-3]

[Toni Buzzeo <tonibuzzeo@TONIBUZZEO.COM>]

Whopper Cake by Karma Wilson; illustrated by Will Hillenbrand (Simon 
& Schuster/McElderry, 2007).  ISBN: 978-0-689-83844-6

Wilson, the queen of bouncing rhyme, joins forces with Hillenbrand, 
the king of exuberant illustration, to create an over-the-top TALL 
tall tale about Grandma's birthday cake.  Now Grandma didn't want a 
cake or any fuss, but was Granddad listening?  Decidedly not!  Today 
is Grandma's birthday,/ and Granddad has an itchin'/ to bake a 
whopper chocolate cake/ and traumatize the kitchen.// Grandma scolds, 
"Now listen up,/ don't make  fuss, you hear?/ Land sakes! I swear 
your cakes are/ getting bigger every year!" Grandma slips off to town 
in her polka-dotted VW Beetle knock-off sporting a trio of balloons 
on the antenna while Granddad, decked out in socks, sandals, and a 
Johnny Appleseed pot for a hat, waves goodbye.  THEN--it's an 
explosion of fun as Granddad doubles, triples, quadruples-times-ten 
every ingredient in the recipe, mixes it in the bed of the old blue 
pickup, and cooks it up right fine under the hot mid-July 
sun.  Decorating's no problem, either, with a team of neighbors and 
friends yielding frosting-spreading shovels.  Grandma's surprised, 
all right, when she returns, but she definitely gets the last 
laugh.  Read this wild and funny title when you teach tall tales or 
when the sky is gray and cloudy and you need a whopper of a 
pick-me-up (and a hint of chocolate!). [Suggested Grades: K-3]


Toni Buzzeo, MA, MLIS <mailto:tonibuzzeo@tonibuzzeo.com>
Maine Library Media Specialist of the Year Emerita
Maine Association of School Libraries Board Member
Buxton, ME 04093
http://www.tonibuzzeo.com
Our Librarian Won't Tell Us ANYTHING! A Mrs. Skorupski Story, 
illustrated by Sachiko Yoshikawa (Upstart 2006) NEW! 

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