Baking with Dad

A girl with scribbly red pigtails, big eyes, and a triumphant grin is delighted to bake a cake with her bald, bearded father. Eggs soar through the air, whisking and mixing take on the feel of a synchronized dance routine, and the two channel Carmen Miranda while gathering fruit as they don grass skirts and shake maracas. The result is a supremely messy kitchen and an over-the-top layer cake, a birthday surprise for a male adult; though he isn’t identified, there’s a clear suggestion that he might also be a father in this family. The sheer exuberance of this joyful tale should send readers straight to the kitchen. Ages 3–8. (Mar.)