BILLY MAKES COOKIES

An unsupervised kid makes a mess in the house in this picture book.

While his babysitter is distracted and his sister, Molly, naps, Billy, a Black child, decides to bake cookies. Trying to recall how his mom makes them, he mixes sugar, butter, and a “full carton of eggs.” When Billy accidentally knocks over the flour canister, it hits the bowl, sending ingredients flying everywhere. The commotion wakes Molly up. Billy reassures his sister that after a bath, he’ll clean up. Billy doesn’t recall how much bubble soap his mom adds to the tub, so he uses the entire bottle. He enjoys his soak but forgets to shut off the tap, resulting in a flood in the bathroom. Hearing the noise, Molly barges in and climbs on the windowsill, afraid because she doesn’t know how to swim. Just then, “Mommy rushed in….Her shoes were covered with eggs and flour. When she saw the scene…she was speechless.” Now, she makes sure the kitchen is stocked with cookies before she goes out and that her son has a book to read during Molly’s naptime. Dee’s eventful tale depicts how well-intentioned childhood curiosity can lead to chaotic, sometimes comical misadventures. The silly scenes here will amuse young readers familiar with messy situations of their own. Displaying bright, engaging colors, Perko’s illustrations creatively mirror the hectic events. Details like puffs of white flour dust and rubber ducks bobbing in the water are fun touches.

An enjoyable and relatable tale of childhood mishaps.