The Children’s Book Review | February 13, 2014
By Angela Bermudez
Age Range: 6 and up (parental guidance recommended)
Hardcover: 26 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (November 14, 2014)
ISBN: 978-1502907585
What to Expect: Diversity, Acceptance, Family, Sexual Orientation
Tell Your Story, Tell a Dream Birthday Cake, a short chapter book co-written by multi-ethnic child author Angela Bermudez and her mother, tackles large and deep-seated topics. The concept stems mostly from Angela Bermudez’s diverse and real-life experiences; including being conceived through a sperm donor. These experiences have been combined with a royal element of fantasy. Parental guidance is recommended.
On Princess Aishiba’s ninth birthday she invites Ahabujala princess, Abahamsha princess and Lapaukapuk prince to indulge in a special birthday cake eating ceremony. Each princess and prince is invited to take a turn in slicing a piece of cake and tell his or her own special life story and then share a dream. Each of the royal friends comes from completely different backgrounds and family experiences yet they all identify with the universal desire to dream. Through each individual character’s account, topics such as adoption, single parent families, multi-ethnic families, sperm donors, lesbians, and transgender people are brought to the party table.
The mere creation of this book is an example of a child being supported wholeheartedly by her mother and it is clear that Bermudez is being raised with a strong sense of humanity and self-acceptance. Angela Bermudez is certainly beyond her years in concepts and delivers her story in a matter-of-fact style that works well with the more grown-up topics. There are illustrations scattered throughout the pages that Angela Bermudez drew herself using marker and colored pencil.
This is a book clearly meant to open up a dialogue between children and their parent(s) about diversity and acceptance. The simplicity of the text is suitable for beginning readers; however, as mentioned above, the content should be tackled with parental guidance.
Add this book to your collection: Tell Your Story, Tell a Dream Birthday Cake, by Angela Bermudez
About the Author
Angela Bermudez is a six-year old actress, singer, model, dancer, and writer. She was born in New York City in 2008. Angela has acted/performed in several short and feature films, theatrical musicals, commercials, and school talent shows. She is also a street performer and enjoys singing in the streets of New York City. Angela belongs to an Aztec dance group named Cetiliztli Nauhcampa Quetzalcoatl in Ixachitlan (Grupo de las Cuatro Direcciones al Este del Continente), where she dances traditional Mexica/ Aztec dances. Angela is currently taking ballet and piano lessons.
Angela’s mother is a single mother by choice who identifies as a lesbian. Angela is multi-ethic, since her sperm donor was from Brazil, Italy, and Bolivia. Angela’s mother is originally from Mexico. Angela has a very diverse chosen family that has always shown solidarity and love to both Angela and her mom.
Angela’s literature devotion started at a very early age. She could read sight words at age one and full sentences at age two. One day she was in the New York City subway and she began reading the advertising signs. Angela would love to share her love for reading and writing with all children around the world.
Read The Children’s Book Review’s interview with Angela Bermudez.
Dedicated Reviews allow authors and illustrators to gain prompt visibility for their work. The author of “Tell Your Story, Tell a Dream Birthday Cake” sponsored* this non-biased review. Learn more about getting a book review …