Book Review Contest: Panda Cake

Title: Panda Cake
Author: Rosalie Seidler
Reviewer: Kim

"A panda cake, a panda cake, mama is making a panda cake!" And mmm... with ingredients like apples and roots and bamboo shoots, you know that this will be a tasty treat! Unfortunately, when mama sends her two panda sons out for supplies, the elder Willy chooses to "borrow" a few things from the other animals so he can spend her hard-earned panda cash at the local fair. When little brother arrives home to mama, not only is he carrying all of the freshest ingredients - he's also soon followed by some angry critters! Mama chooses to make the best of the situation, inviting all of the animals to stay and partake in the yummiest cake they've ever eaten. And by the time Willy gets home from carnival, there's not a single slice left for him!

Although I always liked the story of Panda Cake, it's the simple black and white illustrations of the portly pandas that made me fall in love with this book. I read it to my 15 month old daughter frequently and she seems to enjoy the rhymes. My husband, however, has made it his duty to point out the one slight... flaw in the book. Sure, Willy can take apples from the pig's tree, or cherries from a bird. And yes, they can still enjoy the finished product. But having the goose gobble down a cake made from it's own eggs??? I suppose I never picked up on that detail as a kid! Regardless, I still treasure my childhood copy of the book. Cake, anyone?

You have until February 23 to enter our Blogaversary Children's Book Review Contest to win some great new books. Click here for details and send your submissions to daddyinastrangeland@mac.com.