Author: Mary Ann Hoberman

Grades: Pre-K, Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd

Synopsis: Mrs. Peters has seven children, each with their own specific food preferences. For example, Peter only drinks his milk warm, Lucy only drinks homemade pink lemonade, Mary Lou only eats homemade bread, and so on. All her children complain if their standards aren’t met. At first, Mrs. Peters happily caters to her children’s needs but over time, she gets tired and weary of the constant attention. The night before her birthday, Mrs. Peters is worried her children will forget. After she goes to sleep, her children try to recreate their favorite dishes for her but end up just making a mess. They hide their failed creation in the oven which they accidentally leave on. In the morning, Mrs. Peters and her children discover that their creation turned into a delicious cake. They celebrate her birthday eating a meal that they finally all enjoy.

Debrief Questions:

• Were the kids grateful to their mother at the beginning of the story? How about at the end of the story?
• Have you ever given someone a gift? How did it make them feel? How did it make you feel?
• How important was teamwork in this story? What happened when all the kids worked together?