The Memory Cake

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.

Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Holiday House
Published: 06/03/2025
ISBN: 9780823456468
Pages: 40