It's My Birthday (1993) by Helen Oxenbury contrasts with The Little Red Hen. No animals help The Little Red Hen to bake her bread. In It's My Birthday, the main character, a little child, has willing help.
The text in Oxenbury's story is repetitive and cumulative. It begins with "I'm going to make a cake." Each additional ingredient is added on to the text: "I'm going to make a cake. I've got the eggs but I need some flour." As each animal friend acquires ingredients for the cake, they're added to the illustration. It's fun to see where the ingredients come from, for example, when a dog purchases sugar. "We'll all help you make the cake," say the assistants. There's a moment of mild suspense as the child appears to walk off with the cake. Along with millions of other people, I'm fond of Helen Oxenbury illustrations. Her board books were the first ones I read to my own child. This is also a Candlewick Press publication, and I'm usually pleased with their books.
Diane Teaches has How Many Shapes to Bake a Cake? Mrs Jenny Doyle has Kindergarten: Read, Write Draw Rhyming 5 (I like to bake some yummy cake.) Miss Chanel has a Learning Pack using Baking Activities
