The Memory Cake

By Caroline L. Perry

While baking a special cake with her granddaughter, a Maltese grandmother revisits her memories of survival, hope, and life under siege during World War II.

Every year, a young girl visits her Nanna on the tiny Mediterranean isle of Malta, and together they bake a cake. As they mix, stir and ice their chocolate confection, Nanna explains why the cake is so special: when she was a girl, she made it to celebrate the end of a WWII bombing campaign against her small country.

As they talk, Nanna looks back on the layers of her life: the underground shelters, the bombs, the hunger--and the hope that helped her through her hardest times. Her granddaughter learns about Malta's enduring traditions, her family history--and her grandmother's recipe for happiness.

Sharing the little-known history of the 'Siege of Malta, ' this gentle picture book celebrates all who dream of peaceful futures during times of war and uncertainty, and encourages readers to share family stories and memories--even the difficult ones.

A note in the back shares the author's inspiration from her visits to her own Maltese Nanna and the real history of the of 'Siege of Malta', along with a recipe for Nanna's memory cake.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0823456463
• ISBN13: 9780823456468
• Release Date: June 2025
• Publisher: Holiday House
• Length: 40 Pages
• Age Range: 5 to 8 years
• Grade Range: Grades 1 to 3