Written by Candace Fleming. Illustrated by G.Brian Karas. New York: Schwartz & Wade Books, 2010.
Jack is invited to the Princess's tenth birthday party. But, there's a problem. Jack is poor, and doesn't have money to buy her a gift. He decides he will make her a cake. He trades his ax and quilt for some flour and sugar, gets some eggs and milk from the hen and cow, gathers some walnuts, dips some candles, and picks the biggest, juiciest strawberry in the land. The cake turns out beautiful, and now Jack has to get it the castle. Easy peasy, right? Not so much. Poor Jack endures some trouble along the way - blackbirds, a troll, and a bear - and his beautiful cake doesn't quite survive the trip. What will the princess say when Jack finally arrives at the castle for her birthday without the cake? You will have to read this to find out!
This is a wonderful book! It uses aspects from different rhymes and tales (like 4 and 20 blackbirds and the troll guarding the bridge) to make a great adventure story. The illustrations are fabulous, and enhance the story. Observant children will notice what is going on in the endpapers. This is a fun read-aloud, and you will be eager to find out whether Jack and his poor cake survive the trip to the castle. Who knew birthday parties could be so stressful? :)
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