*Pancakes, Pancakes! (1990)

The magical manner in which Eric Carle combines color always makes me smile. Pancakes, Pancakes! gives him the opportunity to assemble a magnificent rooster crowing beside a bright, orange and yellow morning sun. As the rooster crows, "Jack woke up and thought, 'I want a pancake.'" Alas this does not mean reaching into the refrigerator or driving to the local restaurant. For Carle to create animals, Jack must cut wheat and load it upon a donkey. He then takes the wheat to a miller where it's turned into flour. Carle gives us chickens to provide an egg and cow to give milk. After churning butter, Jack finds jam in a dark basement full of colorful jars (color muted by the darkness). A cat, dog, snail, and a few birds add color here and there. Finally, Jack and his mother mix together the ingredients into a bright yellow batter that cooks up into golden deliciousness.