Thunder Cake by Patricia Polacco (1997)
This book was published way past my own picture book days, but I came across it somewhere along the way in my adult life. It must have made an impression, because when the summer storms started rolling in when our girl was a baby, I immediately thought of it. Thunder Cake is every bit as darling as I remember it.
The story tells of a young girl afraid of the approaching thunder. Her grandma coaxes her out from under the bed by promising they will make “thunder cake.” As the two gather ingredients for the cake, the girl proves her bravery by facing some of her other fears. The book ends, of course, with some delicious cake and hot tea amidst the rumbling storm.
We’ve baked our own “thunder cake” on many occasions. Sometimes I hide the ingredients in corners of the house or porch for us to go find, just like the girl in the book. (There is a recipe included in the book, but I usually use this one that doesn’t have any shortening.)