Layla Bakes a Cake

Sample story

Layla stands on her tiptoes and pulls the big red recipe book from the kitchen shelf. Today is the day. Today, she bakes a strawberry cake — all by herself. She ties her favorite purple apron around her waist and takes a deep breath. The kitchen smells like sunshine and vanilla. On the counter, a bowl of bright red strawberries glistens, still wet from washing. Layla runs her finger down the recipe page and reads each ingredient out loud: "Flour, sugar, eggs, butter..." She scoops the flour carefully, but — POOF! A white cloud explodes into the air. Layla blinks. Her nose is covered in powder. Her dark hair looks like it belongs to a tiny grandmother. She giggles and wipes her cheek, leaving a floury streak across her face. "Okay," she whispers, "that's fine. Real bakers get messy." She cracks the first egg perfectly. The second one? A tiny piece of shell slips into the batter. Layla fishes it out with her pinky finger, her tongue sticking out in concentration. Then she reaches for the sugar jar — but the label is smudged, and the jar next to it looks exactly the same...