Suzy Cupcakes

I do a book club for 3rd and 4th graders at my library, and while I love picking out books for them each month, I REALLY love surprising them with yummy (and wacky) treats. It's sometimes difficult coming up with a great book when I tend to want to figure out a funky snack to go with it. (Yes, I know. It's a bad way to choose a book. I can't help it.)

This month, in honor of Thanksgiving, I chose The Hoboken Chicken Emergency by Pinkwater. It's a story about a boy who went out to get the Thanksgiving turkey and came home with a 266 lbs. chicken named Henrietta. It's a funny little book. Anyway, Henrietta really enjoyed the Thanksgiving mashed potatoes, hence my silly snack for the group...


They are white cake cupcakes with butter cream frosting and caramel sauce on top, with a pad of Starburst. Nice, eh? I got the idea from a book called Hello, Cupcake! by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson. So cute.

Anyway, I kept the cupcakes hidden until the end of our group meeting, whereupon the kids begged to see what the caramel smell was... I gave them a clue and said it was Henrietta's favorite food. They said "Potatoes?!?" and asked if I had caramel-covered potato chips. I was like, "Do what?!?" Third graders totally crack me up. And I have to admit, I laughed at their initial responses to the final reveal. Most of them looked horrified. But when they sank their teeth into the cupcakes, I had some very gratified kiddos. Any ideas for my next book club? I'm doing The Fantastic Mr. Fox (in honor of the upcoming flick).