Thunder Cake

Thunder Cake. Patricia Polacco. 1997. 32 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: On sultry summer days at my grandma's farm in Michigan, the air gets damp and heavy.

Premise/plot: A young girl (the author) is terrified of thunder until one day she learns how brave she is. The lesson comes from her Grandma. And it involves CHOCOLATE CAKE. As the two hear the storm approaching, the two prepare all the ingredients for making THUNDER CAKE. They gather eggs from the hen house; they milk the cow; they go to a storage shed in the WOODS for chocolate, sugar, and flour; they pick strawberries and tomatoes from the garden. At last when all the ingredients are at hand, the two bake the cake. By the time the storm arrives, the Grandma points out how brave she has been and is being. She is no longer scared of the thunder.

My thoughts: In 1997 or perhaps 1998, I took my first class in children's literature. The class read this book, and, for me it was LOVE. I've been enjoying Polacco's books ever since. Some have been like; some have been love. But this one probably remains my favorite. I love the bond between grandma and granddaughter. I love the baking and eating of cake too. I also love the fact that it's based on the author's childhood.

Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 9 out of 10
© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews