A birthday cake for George Washington

This picture book tells the story of Hercules, George Washington's enslaved head chef, and his daughter Delia, as they work together to bake a birthday cake for the President. The narrative focuses on their efforts to find a sugar substitute for the cake. While intended to be a historical story for young readers, the book faced significant criticism upon its release for its 'smiling slaves' illustrations and an 'offensively sanitized version' of slavery. Critics highlighted its omission of the brutal realities of enslavement and specific biographical details, such as Hercules's eventual escape from Washington, leaving his daughter behind. Due to this widespread public outcry, the publisher, Scholastic, withdrew the book from publication shortly after its release. This book is primarily notable now for the controversy it generated and the discussions it sparked about how slavery is represented in children's literature.