Flannel Friday: A Cake For Barney

I love cake, and I like to count, so A Cake for Barney, from the book by Joyce Dunbar, was just a natural for me to make into a flannelboard.

The story begins with Barney the Bear, who has a cupcake with 5 cherries on top.

 

 

Of course Barney can’t wait to partake of his treat.  He says “A fine little cake with five cherries on it will be just delicious” (elaborate away, of course, while you tell the story, count cherries, etc).  But because Barney lives in the wild, it’s not long before someone wants in on the cherry goodness.  Along comes a series of animals who threaten Barney with their company (!) unless he gives them a cherry.  For example, an either particularly hungry or just naturally cranky Barney begs a mouse “please go away so I can eat my cake”, and the mouse replies “I will, if you give me a cherry”.   Because I couldn’t find the mouse, I replaced it in the flannel story with a butterfly, and quite honestly you could use any animals you choose.   The story continues until all the cherries have been given away to various animals.  Don’t forget to use different voices for the animals, and encourage the kids to say Barney’s and the other animal’s lines with you.  This is also a good spot to talk about the pros and cons of sharing.

 

The story ends with some unexpected drama.  Along comes a big bear, and since there are no more cherries left, guess what he wants.

Yep, he wants the whole darn cupcake!  Barney, however, is through being Mr. Nice Little Bear, and says “No! for this fine little cake with no cherries on it is going going going . . . GONE! And it was just delicious.”  I always add some gobbling noises in there at that point.

Barney had his cake, and got to eat it too.