Three astounding angels appear in the kitchen hoping for a taste of the magical secret-ingredient angel food cake a young girl makes for her mother’s birthday. “A fresh, amusing piece.”--Booklist
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
A girl bakes her mother an out-of-this-world birthday cake; "Willard's prose is both lyrical and conversational, and the story is one of the most human and touching she has written," said PW, adding that Watson's illustrations "add an extra touch of magic and mystery." Ages 6-up.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Grade 2-4-- A young girl, wishing to make her mother a birthday surprise, searches for her great-grandmother's secret recipe for the cake of the title. The recipe is found in an old diary, the secret ingredient turns up under the grand piano, and at midnight the cake is baked. Following directions, the girl spells LOVE backwards in the sugar, and three angels appear in the kitchen to add a spectacular icing and a golden thimble to the birthday morning surprise. Willard's considerable talents are confined here to what appears to be a marketable gift book, perfect for birthday parties. Watson decorates the story with full-color, realistically detailed pictures that rely heavily on stars, feathers, butterflies, and flowers to set the mood of magic and mirth. The mainstream American family of the story is balanced by three eccentrically ethnic angels: one a white-haired male in patchwork, one a Japanese beauty, and one a small black child with cornrows. Fine quality paper and gold-leaf endpapers provide the glossy packaging for this lighthearted, sugar-coated bit of whimsy. --Shirley Wilton, Ocean County College, Toms River, NJ
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
20 of 20 people found the following review helpful
By Jo.
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I am an elementary school teacher and one of my students - an extremely thoughtful and insightful 7 year-old - gave me an angelfood cake (with this book) for an end-of-the-year gift. She told me to be careful when I eat the cake and to look for the surprise. I was finishing up my room cleaning and had a piece of the cake, but unfortunately, the rest of the cake went bad in the heat. I looked through the rest of the cake to find a thimble. Puzzled, I read the book and cried through the last part of it. For anyone who is wanting to show good wishes, love, luck, modern angels watching over you or just a TERRIBLY wonderful and sentimental gesture towards someone...Read this book, bake an angelfood cake with a thimble in it and give book and cake as a gift. My thimble is in my china cabinet next to my fine crystal and Hummell figurines - it has that much heartfelt value. If you are "angel phobic" or concerned about religious undertones - it really has none. No preaching involved, just simply a FEEL GOOD story.There's no rhyme or reason to the illustrations which are detailed, subtle, yet bright and the storyline is quite cleaver and unpredictable. But it is the meaning woven into the words and storyline that is honest, loving and genuine. One to treasure for generations!
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
I was given The High Rise Glorious Skittle Skat Roarious Sky Pie Angel Food Cake for my seventh birthday (which was about eight years ago) and it still has a special place on my bookshelf. Every few months, I take it down, read, and find something new in it. The story is sweet, innocent and capivating all at the same time. The intricate pictures are beautiful beyond words; they represent a merging of the real and imaginary. Every one, child or adult, should own this book. It is happiness in paperback.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
What a perfect marriage of words and pictures! This is the story of a girl who wants to give her mother a birthday gift more precious than gold: something that blends love, nostalgia and magic with good cake. She is aided (and abetted) in this venture by her goofy, unwitting uncle, and a trio of the most endearing angels ever illustrated. (Check out how the oldest angel's socks don't match!) The finely drawn pictures are delightfully evocative and reward close inspection. The whole book soars with whimsy, glory, and love. A keepsake.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
one of the best children's books ever!
my daughter received this book when she was young from her grandma, and it's always been a favorite of mine. I bought this one for my soon-to-arrive 1st grandchild.
Published 5 months ago by S. Lanphear
5.0 out of 5 stars
Glorious roarious book
From the glorious title to the surprise on the last page, this book is just plain fun. The conversational style ("Let me tell you about .... Read more
Published 18 months ago by JKelly
4.0 out of 5 stars
Book review
This book came quickly and was in good shape. The binding was a bit worn.
Published on August 27, 2010 by Ilene
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sky High Wonderful Story
I purchase this book to read to my children. I also bought 6 more to give to friends to read to their children. Read more
Published on March 21, 2006 by Joanne Jerrell
5.0 out of 5 stars
Special Birthday Surprise
When I was nine, my favorite teacher gave me this book to read. It was incredibly imaginative and it put a smile to my face on even the worst of days. Read more
Published on June 30, 2000 by Katie Engstrom
5.0 out of 5 stars
A wonderfully written & magically illustrated family story.
This is a beautiful story full of magic and wonder.
The illustrations are stunning, full of golden hues and
gentle shadings. Read more
The illustrations are stunning, full of golden hues and
gentle shadings. Read more
Published on December 19, 1995
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