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Max Makes a Cake
Baby sisters can be so annoying!That's what Max thinks. Max needs his daddy's help--right now!--to bake a surprise Passover birthday cake for his mommy. But as baby Trudy fusses instead of napping, and Daddy tries to settle her down, their time to bake is slipping away.With her warm and pithy storytelling, Michelle Edwards captures the moment in a child's life when he realizes that he has the power to do things on his own.
Library Binding
First published January 1, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
April 3, 2020
Jillian rated it 3. stars.
A charming story about a little boy who is all grown up - he's an expert at getting dressed, and can *almost* tie his shoes - and ready for Passover. Like, really ready for Passover. It's his mom's birthday, and Max and his dad have bought a special cake mix to make a birthday cake for his mom. (This is a big deal, because the rules for Passover make regular birthday cake a no-no!) But his little sister won't go down for her nap, and nobody thought about making frosting to go with the cake, and what if Mom comes upstairs before the surprise is ready?
The story is fun, but the book tends to assume the reader already has some knowledge of Passover. Max knows the Four Questions - in Hebrew and in English - but only talks about one in the book. Readers will have to go to the internet to find the others. The story also assumes that the reader knows why making a birthday cake during Passover requires a special cake mix from the grocery store.
However, the book does give a quick summary of the Passover story, and why matzoh is eaten during the holiday. Plus it gives a recipe (sort of) for the cake Max ends up making for his mom.
A charming story about a little boy who is all grown up - he's an expert at getting dressed, and can *almost* tie his shoes - and ready for Passover. Like, really ready for Passover. It's his mom's birthday, and Max and his dad have bought a special cake mix to make a birthday cake for his mom. (This is a big deal, because the rules for Passover make regular birthday cake a no-no!) But his little sister won't go down for her nap, and nobody thought about making frosting to go with the cake, and what if Mom comes upstairs before the surprise is ready?
The story is fun, but the book tends to assume the reader already has some knowledge of Passover. Max knows the Four Questions - in Hebrew and in English - but only talks about one in the book. Readers will have to go to the internet to find the others. The story also assumes that the reader knows why making a birthday cake during Passover requires a special cake mix from the grocery store.
However, the book does give a quick summary of the Passover story, and why matzoh is eaten during the holiday. Plus it gives a recipe (sort of) for the cake Max ends up making for his mom.
May 3, 2022
Max makes a special cake for a birthday AND Passover.
*would like to have known what the "4 Questions" were since they were mentioned numerous times. I looked them up on the internet.
*would like to have known what the "4 Questions" were since they were mentioned numerous times. I looked them up on the internet.
August 16, 2024
Great story
Jewish culture
Jewish culture
oren-reads
April 3, 2026Such a sweet Passover book about celebrating a birthday during the holiday and having patience.
March 6, 2014
Introducing March’s Passover PJ library book!
Meet Max, who wants to bake a surprise Passover birthday cake for his mom. Max is a big boy, he can almost tie his shoes, and he even knows the four questions for Passover in Hebrew and English. But everyone knows that baking a cake during Passover is not so easy and one must get really creative. So Max gets to work, only he really needs the help of his dad to pull this off. But dad is too busy with Max’s fussy baby sister and so Max decides to take matters into his own hands. And that is exactly what Max does, starting with the frosting first, just in case dad makes it down in time to help.
“Why is this cake different from all other cakes?” asks Max at the end of the story. The author ties this question in beautifully with the importance of the Four Questions during the Passover Seder. This is a sweet and clever story about baking a cake with lots and lots of matzah as well as capturing a moment when a young boy realizes he can be independent. The author, Michelle Edwards, includes Max’s ingenious cake recipe along with a very brief description of the Passover Story.
Illustrations by Charles Santoso are adorable with warm and cheerful animated expressions. The illustrations were rendered with pencil on paper and then scanned and colored digitally.
Max Makes a Cake is a wonderful story that is perfect for story time during the Passover holiday and welcome in any Jewish library as well as Public libraries collections too. Recommended for ages 3-6.
Meet Max, who wants to bake a surprise Passover birthday cake for his mom. Max is a big boy, he can almost tie his shoes, and he even knows the four questions for Passover in Hebrew and English. But everyone knows that baking a cake during Passover is not so easy and one must get really creative. So Max gets to work, only he really needs the help of his dad to pull this off. But dad is too busy with Max’s fussy baby sister and so Max decides to take matters into his own hands. And that is exactly what Max does, starting with the frosting first, just in case dad makes it down in time to help.
“Why is this cake different from all other cakes?” asks Max at the end of the story. The author ties this question in beautifully with the importance of the Four Questions during the Passover Seder. This is a sweet and clever story about baking a cake with lots and lots of matzah as well as capturing a moment when a young boy realizes he can be independent. The author, Michelle Edwards, includes Max’s ingenious cake recipe along with a very brief description of the Passover Story.
Illustrations by Charles Santoso are adorable with warm and cheerful animated expressions. The illustrations were rendered with pencil on paper and then scanned and colored digitally.
Max Makes a Cake is a wonderful story that is perfect for story time during the Passover holiday and welcome in any Jewish library as well as Public libraries collections too. Recommended for ages 3-6.
January 29, 2014
Max was growing up, he could dress himself, almost tie his shoes, and he knew the Four Questions for Passover in Hebrew and English. It was his mother’s birthday and he wanted to make her a cake. But when his little sister started to cry and Max’s dad took her for her nap. Max waited and waited for his dad to come back to bake the cake, but his sister just kept waking up and crying. So Max decided to make some frosting to help. It turned out very nicely, a mix of jam and cream cheese. Max knew that to bake a cake, he had to wait for his father. But then he had a great idea, one perfect for Passover.
Edwards has written a story that organically incorporates Passover and its meaning. She shows a warm and loving Jewish family with a father who takes expert care of his children. Max’s clever solution to the cake is nicely foreshadowed in the book but is also a wonderful surprise solution that readers will not see coming. It is also a pleasure to see a picture book about a child who solves a problem himself with creativity.
Santoso’s art conveys the same warmth as the text. He uses humor throughout in his images, with a cheery note. His depictions of Max are particularly well done as he solves the problem but not without a little mess.
Clever and creative, this is a welcome addition to public library’s Passover collections as well as a great choice for birthday story times. Appropriate for ages 4-6.
Edwards has written a story that organically incorporates Passover and its meaning. She shows a warm and loving Jewish family with a father who takes expert care of his children. Max’s clever solution to the cake is nicely foreshadowed in the book but is also a wonderful surprise solution that readers will not see coming. It is also a pleasure to see a picture book about a child who solves a problem himself with creativity.
Santoso’s art conveys the same warmth as the text. He uses humor throughout in his images, with a cheery note. His depictions of Max are particularly well done as he solves the problem but not without a little mess.
Clever and creative, this is a welcome addition to public library’s Passover collections as well as a great choice for birthday story times. Appropriate for ages 4-6.
March 10, 2014
Max Makes a Cake is a cute story about a child taking the initiative when circumstances prevent his father from helping him make a birthday cake for his mother. When Max's father has to take care of the baby while his mother paints, Max tries to wait patiently, but when he gets tired of waiting he decides to go ahead and make something himself. I liked Max's initiative, but I also appreciated the fact that Max doesn't try to use the oven or other appliances by himself, instead he improvises beautifully. The illustrations are pleasing and fun to look at and the Jewish traditions are integrated nicely into the story.
August 15, 2014
I love this book. The story is cute (although not in fact of much relevance to Passover). But the illustrations are a knockout. They are adorable and expressive and they light up the text. You find yourself sympathizing with Max and pulling for him, because in the pictures he is irresistible. You "get" everything he's going through, right in your gut because of those pictures of him. The illustrator, Charles Santoso, is an animator from Australia and this is his first children's book. My guess is "watch this space." These are fabulous pictures. It's worth it to buy this book for the pictures.
January 28, 2014
This story feels like it's competing with itself for subject matter. It begins with a young boy mastering the Four Questions in Hebrew and English as he and his family celebrate the Jewish holidays of Seder and Passover. Then, it changes gear and becomes about the little boy's growing impatience to bake a birthday cake for his mother and his creative solution to the problem.
Following the story is a bullet list explaining how to make the cake Max made for his mother and brief notes about the Four Questions, and the Passover story. PreK-2.
Following the story is a bullet list explaining how to make the cake Max made for his mother and brief notes about the Four Questions, and the Passover story. PreK-2.
October 23, 2015
Max Makes a Cake, written by Michelle Edwards, illustrated by Charles Santoso
Max finds the way to make a unique Passover surprise birthday cake for his mother. Funny! Max is very inventive.
Age Range: 3 - 7 years
Grade Level: Preschool - 2
Max finds the way to make a unique Passover surprise birthday cake for his mother. Funny! Max is very inventive.
Age Range: 3 - 7 years
Grade Level: Preschool - 2
October 14, 2013
Max has big plans with his dad to make a birthday cake for Mommy's birthday, but has to take things into his own hands when Daddy gets distracted with taking care of Max's little sister. With creativity and taste tastes, Max makes up his own birthday cake recipe using jam, cream cheese, and matzoh that delights Mommy and leaves Max feeling grown up and capable. Very cute!
February 15, 2014
Max takes things into his own hands to make a cake when the rest of the family is busy...a fairly common storyline but Michelle Edwards develops the story in a Jewish family so the reader sees important cultural references.
April 9, 2014
Since Passover is coming up, this book was a very timely read. I liked how Max showed creativity with the cake making, instead of getting mad or fussy when his father had to spend more time with the baby sister.
April 14, 2014
Max is in a big hurry to make a birthday cake for his mom and he can't wait for his dad to come help him. So he makes one on his own! It is all about Passover, so would be good for children who recognize Passover or who are learning about other cultures.
March 2, 2015
This book was published in 2014. I loved this book and thought it was sweet how he wanted to make a cake for his mother. It also had a great story of the passover story in the back and telling what it means. Not only do you have a wonderful book to read, but you get to learn some history to.
August 5, 2015
It's Max's mom's birthday, and it's also Passover. Max decides to make a cake for his mom on his own when his dad gets tied up with his baby sister. Matzo cake it is! Recipe is in the back of the book.
October 23, 2015
I didn't realize this was a Hanukkah book when I picked it out. It is a really sweet story to read and even has a recipe for "hurry hurry hurry up cake" in the back. We will probably check this out again when it's close to Passover season.
January 25, 2014
For his mom's birthday during Passover.
January 14, 2015
Nice parallel with the hurry to make a birthday cake (between Max's father tending to the needs of a baby sister) and the Passover story of the Jews escaping Pharaoh's Egypt.
Read
January 17, 2016Love that the parents in this book accept Max's creation and enjoy it - Max's special recipe is included in the story!
October 3, 2016
#Diversity.
October 5, 2016
Love the "Hurry, Hurry, Hurry Cake" idea. A sweet book to add to a collection about Jewish customs & Passover for young readers.
March 17, 2016
reviewed in May, 2014 food column,
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews