Books That Make Me Cry: Saturdays & Teacakes

I have read Saturdays & Teacakes by Lester Laminack dozens of times out loud as a teacher. My students never believed me when I would begin with the disclaimer, “I’m probably going to cry by the end of this.” Every single time, when I get to the last line, my voice catches, and I have tears in my eyes. I love books that make me cry. Why? Because it means the author wrote so compellingly, that he or she can draw true emotion out.

Saturdays & Teacakes is the poignant memoir-in-a-picture-book story of a boy who visits his grandmother every Saturday. In a lyrical style, we see the strong bond between grandchild and grandparent, on a hot Southern Saturday. We see excitement building as the young boy “pedal, pedal, pedals” towards his grandmother’s house. We hear contentment in the sound of a rocking chair on a back porch. We smell satisfaction of hard work in the freshly mown grass. We taste sweetness of love in the delicious teacakes the boy eats one after the other.

One can only wish for such love between all children and their grandparents. With beautiful repetition of phrase, and poetic similes, the book is a shining example of quality children’s literature. A book you can teach from. A book you can learn from. And a book creates nostalgia, a wish for the return of lazy Saturdays spent visiting relatives or helping others… A book you will never forget.

If you’re a teacher, homeschooler, or just want to explore the more literary aspects of this book, check out Cracking Open the Author’s Craft, also by Laminack. This guidebook gives step by step lessons on various crafts of writing such as the simile, repetition, imagery, etc. You can also watch Laminack read his book aloud on the DVD and explain various writing moves he made while crafting this story. I heard Laminack speak at a Teacher’s College Saturday Seminars a few years back; his strong grasp of writing style and precise writing “moves” was inspiring to this writing teacher!

Gorgeous paintings illustrate Saturdays & Teacakes and give a richer glimpse into the boy’s Alabama summer days, the old time gas station, rotary lawnmower, vintage kitchen… a visual feast for the eyes! I also love that Laminack includes at the end of the story, a link to the recipe for the famed teacakes. I have yet to try the recipe, but I will. I will.