"The Lucky Cake" is a delightful book by Anna Prokos and illustrated by Christina Tsevis, full of family warmth and rich with the special tradition of Greece. The lucky cake is baked by Grandma each year on New Year's day as a special tribute to St Basil who managed to release the people's gold from the greedy king and return it to them in a cake. The cake has a hidden coin called a flouri that is thought to bring good luck to the person who finds the coin in his or her piece of cake. Billy is so excited about the special cake called a Vasilopita or Pita that is made by his grandma and she has hidden a certain coin called a flouri that, according to lore, will bring special good luck to the person who finds it in his or her piece of cake. This is a tradition that is a special tribute to St Basil who returned the gold to the people that had been taken by the king and rescued by St Basil. The people found their gold in each piece of cake and so the custom continues.

Will Billy win the coin that he hopes he will? His grandfather Pappou cuts the cake giving St Basil, the church, the home and each of the family a piece. The book also includes the recipe for the delicious sounding cake that is traditionally served on New Year's day among Greek people. It doesn't sound complicated, but just don't forget the coin!

I found this a very cheerful book with strong family connection throughout the generations. It also gave me information that I did not know about Greek traditions, which I found fascinating. The colorful art by Christian Tsevis compliments the story nicely. I liked that author Anna Prokos included the recipe for this delightful looking cake so I can try it out.

Billy is so excited that his favorite time of year is finally here, New Year’s Day. In his family, it is a tradition to make a cake and put a lucky coin in it, and each year, someone will be the lucky person to bite into that coin when they eat their cake. And that coin would make them lucky! Billy wants the coin so bad this year, as he anxiously awaits the cake cutting. In her book “The Lucky Cake,” author Anna Prokos tells about the Greek tradition her family has enjoyed over the years on New Year's Day. The main character is Billy, and he is with his family as they cut the special cake his grandmother made for this year's occasion. The story is short, cute and interesting with lots of excitement for a young child. I like the valuable lesson the book teaches, that we really don’t need a coin for good luck, especially when we have a loving family around us as Billy did. However, it is exciting to bite into that lucky charm!

Christina Tsevis did a wonderful job with her illustrations in “The Lucky Cake” book. The big cake on the front cover immediately draws attention to the book, and Billy is adorable! The colors are pretty and blend well with the Christmas and New Year's theme, giving a pleasant feeling to the book. And the people characters are adorable. I just love them, and they will certainly appeal to young children. I encourage you to grab a copy of “The Lucky Cake” and use as one of your Holiday stories. You will be pleased with the story of Billy and his family’s special tradition.