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The Poppy Seed Cakes
The Poppy Seed Cakes is a beloved children's classic first published in 1924: eight charming and humorous linked stories about little Andrewshek and his Auntie Katushka, with colorful woodcuts by Caldecott Award-winning illustrators Maud and Miska Petersham.
Auntie Katushka has just come from the Old Country, bringing poppy seeds to make cakes for a mischief-prone four-year-old boy named Andrewshek. A little neighbor girl named Erminka, who wears red boots that are too big for her, joins Andrewshek for a series of adventures with talking animals including a greedy goose who steals the cakes; a naughty white goat who hides on the roof; and a kitten, a dog, and two chickens who are determined to crash the children's tea party. There is art on every page, featuring mischievous animals and gooseberry tarts, colorful shawls and Russian dolls, and cheerful Auntie Katushka in her kerchiefed and aproned splendor.
Auntie Katushka has just come from the Old Country, bringing poppy seeds to make cakes for a mischief-prone four-year-old boy named Andrewshek. A little neighbor girl named Erminka, who wears red boots that are too big for her, joins Andrewshek for a series of adventures with talking animals including a greedy goose who steals the cakes; a naughty white goat who hides on the roof; and a kitten, a dog, and two chickens who are determined to crash the children's tea party. There is art on every page, featuring mischievous animals and gooseberry tarts, colorful shawls and Russian dolls, and cheerful Auntie Katushka in her kerchiefed and aproned splendor.
158 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1924
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
April 29, 2021
What is one to do when a goat, a dog, a kitten, and two chickens invite themselves to afternoon tea? Why, one allows them to sit at the table and eat poppy seed cakes and strawberry jam!
Written in 1924, this little recollection of life in the old country (which appears to be Russia) is a very simple collection of eight stories, each connecting to the previous story.
There is Auntie Katushka,
who has come from the old country so she can visit her little nephew, Andrewshek, who doesn't always listen and has a proclivity for getting into trouble.
The local farm animals are always getting into the picture, including the Green Goose, who loves his poppy seed cakes a bit too much.
The author, Margery Clark, was actually a composite of two librarians, both of whom wrote children's books. The text is easy for children and dare I say, fun. The technicolor woodcuts are by Maud and Miska Petersham, which are delightful for very young eyes. While I enjoyed this, it's best for nursery age children, who will delight in repeating the names over and over.
I must admit that I completed this quickly but then looked at it again, just for the simple fun to be had with the old country.
Book Season = Spring (red boots)
Written in 1924, this little recollection of life in the old country (which appears to be Russia) is a very simple collection of eight stories, each connecting to the previous story.
There is Auntie Katushka,
who has come from the old country so she can visit her little nephew, Andrewshek, who doesn't always listen and has a proclivity for getting into trouble.
The local farm animals are always getting into the picture, including the Green Goose, who loves his poppy seed cakes a bit too much.
The author, Margery Clark, was actually a composite of two librarians, both of whom wrote children's books. The text is easy for children and dare I say, fun. The technicolor woodcuts are by Maud and Miska Petersham, which are delightful for very young eyes. While I enjoyed this, it's best for nursery age children, who will delight in repeating the names over and over.
I must admit that I completed this quickly but then looked at it again, just for the simple fun to be had with the old country.
Book Season = Spring (red boots)
November 29, 2009
This is one of the books I think of most when I think about what was on our childhood bookshelves. It's a Withdrawn book from the library we used to go to, and while I don't remember the exact specifics as to how it ended up in my mother's possession (I want to say that the librarian liked us so much that she gave it to us, or maybe we bought it at a book sale at the library), I do remember it being in the house. My mother would read it periodically, and thanks to this book I have an unnatural affection for feather beds and poppy seed cakes.
This is a nice chapter book, beginning with Auntie Katushka and little Andrewshek who, typical for his age, ignores all of Auntie Katushka's warnings. The neighbors have a little girl, Erminka, who is the focus of another couple of chapters - her story is more about the red boots she wears than about the feather bed of Andrewshek's world. But in the end the two come together to have a tea party with the poppy seed cakes that Auntie Katushka prepares.
It's a touching story with bright illustrations by Maud and Miska Petersham. And when I smell the book, it smells just the way I remember all of the books from that library smelling. That's just comforting.
This is a nice chapter book, beginning with Auntie Katushka and little Andrewshek who, typical for his age, ignores all of Auntie Katushka's warnings. The neighbors have a little girl, Erminka, who is the focus of another couple of chapters - her story is more about the red boots she wears than about the feather bed of Andrewshek's world. But in the end the two come together to have a tea party with the poppy seed cakes that Auntie Katushka prepares.
It's a touching story with bright illustrations by Maud and Miska Petersham. And when I smell the book, it smells just the way I remember all of the books from that library smelling. That's just comforting.
June 30, 2020
The chapters are very short, and heavily (beautifully!) illustrated. The book is about 168 pages but a quick read. I love the full-page illustrations but I'm not particularly wild about the border illustrations as the yellow just isn't appealing to me page after page and the animals in the borders look rather odd. I'm not knowledgeable enough about Russian folklore and related art to know if this is traditional style. We begin with stories about a boy named Andrewshek and then move to some stories about a girl named Erminka before they converge.
The stories about Andrewshek involve him being a distracted little boy who doesn't do what his auntie asks him to do, and the various animals that come to take advantage of his carelessness. He's not doing anything *very* naughty, just typical boisterous kid behavior like bouncing on the bed or swinging on the garden gate... but he doesn't watch the food like his aunt asks him to and I'm not sure what the "moral" of these stories are as, despite his behavior, things always works out nicely for Andrewshek (though usually not so nicely for the animals, especially in the case of the goose!) Andrewshek has no great heroic moments as it's usually it's the auntie who figures a way out of the problem. I was surprised that the animals talk as I hadn't been expecting that based on the way the story began. I enjoyed the stories but I'm not sure they impressed me overmuch.
Erminka has her own story for three chapters which involve her wearing the wonderful new shiny red boots that were meant for her little brother but are too big for him yet. The little red boots lead to trouble every time. First, she wants to show the tomatoes her boots then she slips in the garden and squishes some tomatoes and cucumbers. (Such a darling illustration of Erminka showing her shiny red boots to the shiny red tomatoes, though!) Then, she visits the market and opens the chicken crate with the toe of her boot and they escape. Finally, she goes to the pond and slips on the mud and gets the boots and a duck all muddy. She doesn’t *mean* to do these things… but I still think it rather unfair that at the end of all this the father says he will buy her some new shoes to replace the muddy ones. Shouldn’t the little brother get new boots since big sister ruined the ones that were to be his? No mention of poppy seed cakes here.
In the final chapters, Erminka and her mother and little brother go to stay with her uncle while her father is in the old country and the uncle happens to live next door to Andrewshek so the two children meet and their stories converge. They enjoy a few tea parties (one with some rather amusing guests) and play with wooden dolls. Oh, and the poppy seed cakes are served at the tea party, so that ties back with the beginning.
Overall, I wouldn’t say this was a favorite for me but I did enjoy reading it and many of the illustrations were lovely.
The stories about Andrewshek involve him being a distracted little boy who doesn't do what his auntie asks him to do, and the various animals that come to take advantage of his carelessness. He's not doing anything *very* naughty, just typical boisterous kid behavior like bouncing on the bed or swinging on the garden gate... but he doesn't watch the food like his aunt asks him to and I'm not sure what the "moral" of these stories are as, despite his behavior, things always works out nicely for Andrewshek (though usually not so nicely for the animals, especially in the case of the goose!) Andrewshek has no great heroic moments as it's usually it's the auntie who figures a way out of the problem. I was surprised that the animals talk as I hadn't been expecting that based on the way the story began. I enjoyed the stories but I'm not sure they impressed me overmuch.
Erminka has her own story for three chapters which involve her wearing the wonderful new shiny red boots that were meant for her little brother but are too big for him yet. The little red boots lead to trouble every time. First, she wants to show the tomatoes her boots then she slips in the garden and squishes some tomatoes and cucumbers. (Such a darling illustration of Erminka showing her shiny red boots to the shiny red tomatoes, though!) Then, she visits the market and opens the chicken crate with the toe of her boot and they escape. Finally, she goes to the pond and slips on the mud and gets the boots and a duck all muddy. She doesn’t *mean* to do these things… but I still think it rather unfair that at the end of all this the father says he will buy her some new shoes to replace the muddy ones. Shouldn’t the little brother get new boots since big sister ruined the ones that were to be his? No mention of poppy seed cakes here.
In the final chapters, Erminka and her mother and little brother go to stay with her uncle while her father is in the old country and the uncle happens to live next door to Andrewshek so the two children meet and their stories converge. They enjoy a few tea parties (one with some rather amusing guests) and play with wooden dolls. Oh, and the poppy seed cakes are served at the tea party, so that ties back with the beginning.
Overall, I wouldn’t say this was a favorite for me but I did enjoy reading it and many of the illustrations were lovely.
March 5, 2020
Now there come along from time to time a book I know absolutely nothing about and today it is another member of the Everymans Childrens Classic library.
This book reads like a translated tale from Eastern Europe when in actual fact the book has more connections to America than anywhere else - however to me (at least) it captures an age which is now long since passed.
An age of families who lived a simpler life. A life which if a family where to flourish they had to have the support of their relatives. A life where they had to make sacrifices such as working away from home and the raising of children was down to the wives and grandparent.
This book to me represents an age that now has long since passed, and although we live (for the most) better lives we should never turn our back on where we came from and those around up where they came from.
We should all take time to stop and enjoy the simpler pleasures and for me this book is a celebration of them.
This book reads like a translated tale from Eastern Europe when in actual fact the book has more connections to America than anywhere else - however to me (at least) it captures an age which is now long since passed.
An age of families who lived a simpler life. A life which if a family where to flourish they had to have the support of their relatives. A life where they had to make sacrifices such as working away from home and the raising of children was down to the wives and grandparent.
This book to me represents an age that now has long since passed, and although we live (for the most) better lives we should never turn our back on where we came from and those around up where they came from.
We should all take time to stop and enjoy the simpler pleasures and for me this book is a celebration of them.
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June 2, 2020I wonder how big this "nursery book" was? I think only about the size of a child's hands, because there are lots of pages but very few words, relatively.
I think that I would have liked it when I was a child, though even then, in the '60s, I would have thought it awfully old-fashioned. Now I don't know if I can recommend it or not. Bread is *not* good for swans, nobody will explode if they eat too much, and children who are easily distracted must not be left alone in a situation where the consequences can be serious.
The pictures are wonderful, though.
I think that I would have liked it when I was a child, though even then, in the '60s, I would have thought it awfully old-fashioned. Now I don't know if I can recommend it or not. Bread is *not* good for swans, nobody will explode if they eat too much, and children who are easily distracted must not be left alone in a situation where the consequences can be serious.
The pictures are wonderful, though.
April 14, 2018
3 short stories in this book. They remind me of ones out of Russia. Auntie Katushka has always trouble with Andrewshek, a little boy who does not like to mind. An animal plays prominently in each story. My granddaughter and I liked these alot.
May 6, 2020
My 7 year old thought it was great. I thought it was very silly.
May 29, 2012
Somehow, I thought of this book today, one I read when Eisenhower was in the White House, though it was written in 1924! It is the most charming tale of a mischievous little boy, Andrewshek, his sister and his auntie Katushka. The illustrations are bright and delightful. Anyone with young children should find a copy. Mine was given to me by my paternal grandparents in 1959 and It is still by my side today.
December 26, 2009
One of my favorite books as a little girl. Brett found me a copy and gave to me for Christmas this year!!
January 1, 2023
Naughty Andrewshek and Erminka, the feather bed, the red topped boots, the geese, ducks and chickens and the little poppyseed cakes have lost none of their charm since my mother read this book as a little girl and since she read it to her own children. The illustrations by Maud and Miska Petersham are just as good as the stories.
February 9, 2015
I remember my mom reading this to me when I was little. My 3 year old got it for Christmas and we just finished reading it together. She loved it and wanted to start reading it again as soon as we finished.
May 31, 2012
Short 'chapters' make for easy aloud reading to young children. Fun antics and talking animals. Plus, I had a blast saying 'Auntie Katushka' and 'Andrewshek' over and over again!!
September 30, 2014
A childhood favourite - I love it still!
February 2, 2016
Love these stories and so does my kid! And now I'm looking for a recipe for poppy seed cakes.
April 18, 2020
Beautiful illustrations! I remember this being in my childhood bedroom. So lucky to stumble on a used copy to share with my kids.
August 23, 2018
Sweet little stories, perfect for reading aloud.
January 27, 2024
I agree with many of the reviewers that this book is charming and certainly takes Me to a past time. My children and grandchildren all enjoyed it…. Laughing out loud at poor Andrewshek and his problems with that mean old goose. I’ve never been quite certain if we are supposed to believe the goose really was that crafty or if these stories were the one A. told his Aunty to explain where the cakes had disappeared to, after he ate them!
I’m can’t recommend the kindle version though. It is worth it to scrounge the used bookstores online to find a real copy. It is 6x7 1/2 inches, just right for a 4 year old to page through. I love to give it with baby gifts.
I’m can’t recommend the kindle version though. It is worth it to scrounge the used bookstores online to find a real copy. It is 6x7 1/2 inches, just right for a 4 year old to page through. I love to give it with baby gifts.
January 27, 2024
One of my most favorite books from childhood. I have my father's old hardcover copy, from 1924. 100 years old this year! The story still holds up: poppy seed cakes, a big feather bed, a naughty goose, a cheeky goat, Andrewshek swinging on a gate, Erminka and her red-topped boots. The gorgeous old screenprints (predominantly green, yellow, orange, blue, black & white) still enchant and delight 100 years later. Perhaps I shall make some poppy seed cakes (cookies) this weekend.
May 11, 2020
A good book from my childhood that I reread while convalescing from a nasty cold. It's a sweet book. A great read about curious children, talking geese, a goat, a duck, and whimsical tales about minding your elders.
April 21, 2018
This is a simple, yet delightful book for 3-4 year olds. It has charming little stories about Andrewshek and Erminka and various scrapes (often with animals). The illustrations are charming.
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February 11, 2020This is a cute old world folk story. I enjoyed these as a child and wanted to share with my children and use the book to introduce a different culture and time than the one in which we live.
October 30, 2025
Beautiful illustrations and gives you a nice, cozy feeling. The children depicted are quite the handful but poppy seed cakes always saves the day.
November 3, 2025
An interesting story - but I haven’t grasped the point of it, if there’s any at all.
July 26, 2016
Delightful -- charming characters, talking animals, tea parties. Best of all, the illustrations are just perfect for the story, in bright, saturated colors, including yellow stencil-like illustrations on each page (woodcuts?) framing the text, along with 16 full-color, full-page illustrations and another 16 black and white full-page illustrations. All the pictures have bold and simple lines and all evoke old Russia (at least, that's my guess). If I were an artist, I'd like to draw pictures like these!! My plan was to sell this, but I think I'll have to keep it now.
Want to read
October 29, 2014---
Excerpts and/or reprints included in Stories And Fables.
Excerpts and/or reprints included in Stories And Fables.
December 30, 2014
I loved this book as a kid it was taken out of the library at least once every year
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February 1, 2015B1 C1 R8
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews