It was Vera’s birthday, and she wanted a strawberry cake. ‘I’ll bake it myself,’ said Vera. She put on her chef’s hat and mixed the batter. ‘This will be easy!’
But when Vera slid the cake into the oven, she got so excited that she sneezed. WHOOSH! A burst of flame shot out, and the cake came out as a black lump. ‘Oh dear,’ she said.
Vera tried again. And again. And again! Each cake was crispier than the last. There were burnt cakes on the table, on the floor, and one on the cat. Vera was close to tears.
Just then, Dylan the duck and Milo the lion knocked at the door. ‘Happy birthday!’ they said. ‘Is that smoke?’ ‘I’ve lost my cake,’ said Vera, sniffling. ‘It keeps burning.’
‘We’ll help,’ said Dylan. ‘I’ll mix. Milo will watch the oven. And you can be in charge of the a sprinkle of sugar stars.’ So everyone had a job, and Vera stayed well away from the oven.
Soon, a wonderful smell filled the kitchen. Milo opened the oven door. There was a perfect, golden strawberry cake. ‘It’s lovely!’ cried Vera. She added a sprinkle of sugar stars on top.
They lit one candle, and Vera blew on it, very gently. ‘Happy birthday to me!’ she sang. They ate cake until their tummies were round. ‘Best birthday ever,’ sighed Vera. ‘Because we made it together.’
The little lesson
Asking for help makes a hard job easier, and a lot more fun.
Let’s talk about it
- What would you put in your birthday cake?
- Why was the cake good in the end?
Finish stories to collect Vera as a sticker in your Sticker Book.
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