Thunder Cake

After reading this.... actually while reading, I absolutely said "I'm going to do that one day when I have kids or grandkids." I loved everything about the lesson grandma taught while preparing a Thunder Cake. Showing, not just telling her granddaughter, that she was brave in such a creative way. Grandma shows her how she overcame her fear of thunder while doing many other courageous things in the meantime! I'm grateful to Polacco's Babushka for teaching her this lesson, so I have this example to tackle children's fears in a creative, caring, and empowering way. I love when author's extend the story by gifting us a sentimental recipe, inviting us fully into their story and their family.

Returning again to the world of her Michigan childhood - a world that seems to supply her with an inexhaustible supply of story ideas - prolific picture-book author/artist Patricia Polacco here tells the tale of the summers she spent on her grandmother's farm. Terrified by the booming thunder that sometimes sounded during summer storms, young Patricia would hide her head under the bed-covers, and wait for the terrible noise to pass. Then one day, during one such storm, her babushka suggested that they make 'Thunder Cake,' a special treat which needed to be made, and baking in the oven, before the thunder was directly overhead. And so, in rushing madly about - gathering ingredients, preparing the batter for the cake - Patricia forgot to show more be frightened of the thunder, and even conquered some of her other fears...

An engaging family tale is paired with Polacco's trademark freestyle illustrations - which never seem like they should be the 'right' style to appeal to me, and yet somehow always do! - in Thunder Cake, which I would recommend to all young children who are frightened of thunder and lightning, as well as to Patricia Polacco fans. I'm a big fan of chocolate cake, and think I may have to try the recipe for 'thunder cake' that is included at the read. Sometime this coming summer, when a storm sends thunder booming down through the air... show less

I really liked this book for many reasons. One reason I liked this story was because the characters were very well-developed. I felt as though you could sense the closeness between the girl and her Babushka (grandmother) through her Babushka's patience, reassurance, and distraction that she used to help the girl overcome her fear of thunderstorms. One part of the story that shows her Babushka's efforts to help her overcome her fear is when she brings her outside to collect the ingredients for the cake. Her grandmother accompanies her outside and is able to get her to face the storm which shows the girl that everything turned out fine and that the storm was not as dangerous as she thought it would be. You can sense the warmness between show more the two as her grandmother comforts her while also pushing her forward to help her overcome her fear of thunderstorms. Another reason I enjoyed this story was because of the illustrations. The author uses very bright colors in her illustrations that attract the eye. The illustrations were also able to enhance the story by conveying the emotions of the characters. When making the cake, the illustration on the page with the cake recipe shows their warm relationship as the girl and her grandmother hold hands. You can also see by the expressions on their faces that they are both very happy and comforted by one another. I also found that the language used in this book enhanced the story and kept me very engaged. For example, the author uses descriptive language when describing the sound of the thunder by saying things like, "KA-BANG BOOOOOOAROOOOOM, the thunder growled." These descriptions allow the reader to connect with the story and imagine exactly what the thunder sounded like. I think that the big idea in this story is that you can keep your mind occupied and overcome a fear by distracting yourself with a creative and constructive activity. show less

I really enjoyed Thunder Cake by Patricia Polacco for two reasons. First, I really enjoyed her use of descriptive language in describing the setting. For example, Polacco writes, “roaring, low, tumbling sounds of thunder makes the windows shudder in their panes” in order to describe the impending thunderstorm that leads up to the climax of the book. One can feel the storm roll in as she uses word choice to feel the storm pounding on the house. In addition, I like that this book is the author telling a story of her childhood, but is told in third person. I think that by separating herself from the character in the book it allows students to be able to put themselves in the role of the granddaughter, instead of just seeing it as a show more specific character. The message in this book is that you can face your fears and that even if you don’t think it you can be brave. This is seen throughout the book as the Granddaughter completes all of the tasks necessary to bake the Thunder Cake, despite being scared of the incoming storm. I believe that this message is believable and applicable to student readers. show less

I can remember reading this book in 5th grade and loving it instantly. When I read it again last week, I was reminded of why I love it so much. The big message of this book is definitely overcoming your fears, which is such an important thing for young children to understand. No matter what you are afraid of, you can get past it even if you do not realize you are actively doing that. This book follows a young girl and her grandmother, her "Babushka", as she tries to overcome her fear of thunder with her grandmother's help. One of the main reasons why I love this book so much is because of the descriptive language. The "BOOM" "CLAP" and "ZIP" of the thunder and lighting, along with the description of the mean animals who would peck at show more her or kick her, and the "luscious overripe tomatoes". The language used in this book is perfect for children because it helps them to imagine the story and relate to it easier. The fact that this is based on the author's real life is also very special to me because I believe that makes it instantly more relatable. Finally, there is a recipe in the back for the Thunder Cake made in the book, which I believe is such a cute and fun idea for the children to have after reading this book. show less

Patricia Polacco is a beloved author by many, and one of my personal favorites as well. Thundercake was nothing short of amazing. I love her writing. The story is engaging, flows, and paced well. The little girl’s fear of thunder is very relatable to many children. I myself had a fear of the loud claps of thunder. Each time the thunder clapped, the girl counted and the story progressed at an appropriate pace for readers. The reader got to watch the girl slowly but surely overcome her fear with the help of her grandma. The illustrations are marvelous as well. It is rich and full of heritage and tradition. The way she illustrated herself and her grandma gave the reader insight into the real life event she experienced. Even the style of show more clothing the characters wore suggested the author’s Jewish-Ukranian background. Additionally, the dialogue made the story personable. The way the grandma and granddaughter interact is that of a typical, loving relationship. It is written from a first person point of view. The author, Patricia Polacco, is retelling this story from her childhood. The big idea is that you can overcome your fears by facing them. show less

This book has special meaning to me because when I was younger I was petrified of storms. On the first day of kindergarten there was a horrible thunderstorm and I ended up under my teacher’s desk. I was a great predictor of bad weather. Several days after the storm, my teacher read this book and brought in thunder cake for us to eat. At the end of the day she gave me a package and in there was my own copy of Thunder Cake with an inscription that said, “To my little weather man…. hope this story make those storms less scary.” They actually did. I think this is great book to do exactly what it tries to do, take ones mind off a scary event.
The story is told in first person by the little girl who is very afraid of thunderstorms. show more She says, “I feared Michigan’s summer storms. I feared the sound of thunder more that anything. I always hid under the bed when the storm moved near the farmhouse.” This is the story of how her Babushka (grandmother) helped her get over her fears. As she is hiding under the bed her Babushka tells her to come out so they can make Thunder Cake because it is only good if it gets in to the oven before the storm comes. After gathering all the ingredients from all over the farm and getting the cake in on time the little girl realizes that she is really brave and is never scared again. Ms. Polacco does a great job telling the story and letting the reader feel the emotions of the little girl.
The illustrations are fabulous. The reader can see the development of the storm in the illustrations. The wind blowing and the dark clouds come through loud and clear. The colors that are used enhanced the story also.
Ms. Polacco does a great job writing stories that give the reader a taste of Russian history, as well as, showing how important family is. In this story the reader can feel the love between the little girl and her Babushka. The fear of storms is very real for children and this is a terrific way to help children see that there is nothing to be afraid of. show less