Cover of The Dropped Birthday Cake

Anika baked a chocolate cake for Chidi's birthday picnic. She decorated it with fresh strawberries on top. It looked perfect sitting on the kitchen counter.

She carried the cake carefully to her car. One shoe slipped on the wet driveway. The cake slid right off the plate.

Anika stared at the mess on the ground. Strawberries rolled in every direction. She checked the time and felt her stomach drop.

The picnic started in twenty minutes. There was no time to bake another cake. She needed a fast plan.

She grabbed her car keys. She drove to the bakery on Main Street. The shop had one tray of cupcakes left. She bought all twelve right away.

Anika arrived at the park a few minutes late. Chidi waved from the picnic blanket. "Where's the famous cake?" he asked with a grin.

"There was a small accident," Anika admitted. She held up the cupcake box. "These are the backup plan."

Chidi opened the box and laughed. "Twelve cupcakes for six people," he said. "This is a great birthday."

Everyone grabbed two cupcakes each. They sat down on the grass. Anika told the story of the sliding cake. The whole group laughed a lot.

The next year, Anika baked two cakes just in case. Chidi laughed at her new backup plan. Nothing fell this time.

🧠 Check your understanding

  1. What happens to Anika's cake?

    Show answer

    Answer: It slides off the plate and falls

    One shoe slipped, and the cake slid right off the plate.

  2. What does Anika do instead of the cake?

    Show answer

    Answer: She buys cupcakes from a bakery

    She buys twelve cupcakes from the bakery on Main Street.

  3. How does Chidi react to the cupcakes?

    Show answer

    Answer: He laughs and calls it a great birthday

    Chidi laughs and says, "This is a great birthday."

Enjoyed it? Hear the full story and look up any word in the app

  • Tap any word to see its meaning
  • Hear every story in full and read offline
  • Review vocabulary, practice pronunciation and take quizzes
Get it on Google Play