The Duchess Bakes a Cake [Hardcover]

Virginia Kahl (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 3 and up

A long time ago there lived over the waters,
A Duchess, a Duke and their family of daughters.
Everything went smoothly and happily in this large family, until one day the Duchess decided to make:
A lovely light luscious delectable cake.

Would she take the cook's advice? No, she would not. The Duchess put many things into the cake, adding the yeast six times for good measure. So the cake rose, and the Duchess with it -- and how were they to get her down again?

It is Gunhilde, the youngest of the daughters, who suggests a happy solution.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Purple House Press (February 22, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1930900147
• ISBN-13: 978-1930900141
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 8.7 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #133,400 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #44 in Books > Children's Books > Literature & Fiction > Historical Fiction > Medieval

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Still baking after all these years..., February 18, 2004

By 

Shari M. Brandli "kinpatsu" (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Duchess Bakes a Cake (Hardcover)

This book is the reason I got a library card as a child. I loved (and still love) the predicament of the duchess. She was only trying to bake "a lovely light luscious delectable cake" for her family--but things get a bit out of control when she adds too much leavening to the batter. The rhyme and meter are lilting and memorable, the names of her daughters (e.g. "Gunhilde") sound exotic and old-fashioned to a child's ear, and the illustrations are delightful. I'm now in my 30's, and am pleasantly surprised to find that the book is still in print. Even though I don't have any children, I have purchased the book so that I can read it to my siblings' kids and pass on the laughter (and memories) to another generation in my family.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing! Its back in print!, April 8, 2005

By 

LOVER of children's books! - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Duchess Bakes a Cake (Hardcover)

This was one of the truly formative books of my youth. Silly and fun and with a wonderful rhyme. I have the most wonderful memories of my mother reading this to me. Years ago, when I first had children, I HAD to find this book for them and it was out of print. I managed to find an excellent copy but spent nearly $100 for it -- and thought it worth every cent! Now that its back in print, I've bought FOUR more copies -- for gifts for all the children of the right age that I can think of. Highly, highly, highly recommended!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pure Joy, July 13, 2003

By 

"ann41922" (Lake Forest, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Duchess Bakes a Cake (Hardcover)

This is a lyrical, rhythmic, rhyming book of pure joy. Read to a toddler, it will sooth and enchant; to a pre-reader, it becomes a lesson in language and a memory exercise; as an adult with grandchildren of my own, it is a sweet remembrance of my childhood to share with the little one in my lap. It comes with my own personal five star rating.