Makeda makes a birthday treat / by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich ; illustrated by Lydia Mba.

The first title in a delightful new Level 2 I Can Read! series from acclaimed author Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich and illustrator Lydia Mba, starring Makeda, an exuberant 7-year-old "maker" and problem solver who loves to create. Perfect for readers who love Rosie Revere, Engineer, and Reina Ramos Works It Out.

It's Makeda's birthday! To celebrate, she is excited to make her marvelous coconut drops to share with the class.

But everyone else brings cupcakes for their birthdays. Will her classmates like her special treat?

Makeda Makes a Birthday Treat is a Level Two I Can Read book, geared for kids who read on their own but still need a little help. Whether shared at home or in a classroom, the engaging stories, longer sentences, and language play of Level Two books are proven to help kids take their next steps toward reading success.

Reviews (2)

School Library Journal Review

Gr 1--4--For her birthday celebration, Makeda is thrilled to make coconut drops for her classmates. Her siblings tell her kids will want cupcakes. But Makeda is determined to make coconut drops. Makeda, Momma, and Nana sing, dance, sip tea, and tell stories while they make their beloved coconut drops. Readers feel the nostalgia that Makeda and her family experience for their island homeland. When Makeda arrives at school, some kids ask where the cupcakes are. Others make faces, comments, and ask about potential mistakes. The coconut drops don't look like cupcakes. When Makeda's best friend, Glory, steps up and tries one, soon others follow. The class then launches into conversation about the foods, stories, and traditions they enjoy with their families. This early reader aptly illustrates what can occur when children are brave enough to share their family's culture and background. Illustrations and text work in tandem to show what students can do to foster awareness of individuals other than themselves, and how to talk about differences. Makeda and her family have brown skin, and her class includes children with a range of skin tones, body types, and abilities. VERDICT An inclusive early reader that celebrates dialogue about individual differences.--Jennifer Strattman

Booklist Review

Jamaican Nigerian New Yorker Rhuday-Perkovich introduces readers to Makeda, an adorable girl who wants to share traditional treats with her classmates on her birthday. But, wait--her classmates are used to cupcakes! What if they don't like her "coconut drops and back home stories"? Undaunted, Makeda begins the baking project at home with the help of Momma and Nana. They sing and dance, and Makeda's excitement for sharing her birthday sweet builds. When Makeda brings her treats to school the next day, her classmates are at first apprehensive, but soon they realize how tasty Makeda's birthday treats are, and they are inspired to talk about their own family's traditional treats as they sing and share their own family stories. This cheerful celebration of food, storytelling, and diverse experience also explores concepts of bravery, identity, sharing, and open-mindedness. Mba's warm, soft artwork, depicting Makeda's joyful family and her initially skeptical class, nicely enhances this fantastic addition to the I Can Read collection.

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Reviews (2)

School Library Journal Review

Booklist Review