Christ’s Cake by Carolyn Snelling; Illustrated by Lon Eric Craven (giveaway)

I am happy to have one print copy of Christ’s Cake (Tate Publishing) to giveaway to one person who leaves a comment by Sunday, September 23 at 8:00 pm CST. I will be using random.org to choose the winner. United States and Canada mailing address only please. Please leave your comment below–you can say anything you want, but what we would love to hear about is either your FAVORITE birthday cake OR a Christmas tradition you have. Good luck!

*Picture book, Christian fiction, for preschool through 2nd graders
*Five-year-old boy as main character
*Rating: Christ’s Cake is a very sweet Christmas story with beautiful illustrations. (Warning: This book will make parents and children want to eat cake!)

Short, short summary: On Jackson’s fifth birthday, he is excited for his party and his baseball cake. His mom tells him that on Jesus’s birthday, he doesn’t usually get a cake. Jackson says he is going to make one. Then there are several events that occur as Christmas gets nearer: a Christmas play, a broken arm, and a dream of Jesus. But Jackson does not forget his desire to make the cake, which appropriately says, “Happy Birthday, Jesus!” Jackson also doesn’t do so bad in the Christmas play, which is something he was worried about.

So, what do I do with this book?

1. In the back of the book, children can color two illustrations–one is of Christ’s cake. They can then upload their version onto Carolyn’s website and enter it into the online bakery. The website is at: http://christscake.com/?page_id=15 Of course, another fun Christmas activity would be to actually make a birthday cake for Jesus–serve it at Christmas dinner for dessert.

2. In the book, Jackson worries about his part in the Christmas play. Many children will be able to relate to these worries. So this is a great time to bring up how Jackson solves his problem, and then how children can solve their own. You want children to realize that it is normal to worry, but there are several things you can do when you feel this way. Make a list on chart paper while you are discussing solutions. Children can also draw their own.

3. Allow children to share personal experiences with you and their peers that they think about when reading this book–it may be birthday memories, dreams, or Christmas celebrations. When children make personal connections to the text, they are increasing their comprehension. Older students could also write about their memories; younger students could draw pictures.

Don’t forget to leave a comment for your chance to win!