Allie Bakes a Cake

Sample story

Allie stands on her tiptoes and peers over the kitchen counter. Today is the day. Today, she is going to bake a real strawberry cake — all by herself. She pulls on her favorite purple apron and ties the strings into a wobbly bow. The recipe card sits propped against the sugar jar, covered in little strawberry drawings she added herself. "First," she whispers, reading carefully, "two cups of flour." The bag of flour is heavier than she expects. She tips it forward and — POOF! A white cloud explodes into the air, dusting her nose, her cheeks, and the entire countertop. Allie blinks. She looks like a friendly little ghost. "Oops," she giggles, wiping her eyes. But there's no time to worry. She cracks an egg — a tiny piece of shell plops into the bowl. She pours the milk — a little splash lands on her sock. The kitchen smells sweet and warm, like something wonderful is about to happen. Then Allie reaches for the strawberries, and that's when she gets her biggest idea yet...