Rude Cakes

Starred review from April 13, 2015
So what’s it going to be, kid? Are you a Rude Cake or a Giant Cyclops? Watkins, a former Sendak Fellow, debuts with an absurdist “Goofus and Gallant” story for the 21st century, about a thuggish, pink two-layer cake. “Rude cakes never say please, and they never say thank you, and they sometimes take things that don’t belong to them,” writes Watkins as the inconsiderate, ungrateful, and selfish cake bullies other sweets and disrespects his four-tier parents. But when the cake is spirited away to a land where goofy—but extremely polite—Giant Cyclopses use cakes for “jaunty little hats,” the cake discovers a way of life that’s kind, patient, and affirming (“Giant Cyclopses always say thank you, and they always say please”). Watkins’s delicate lines and translucent colors give his story a sly, understated humor, and his liberal use of verbal asides (“Seriously,” says the cake as it sulks in a tub, “I’m a cake... How dirty can I be?”) make a familiar message about thoughtfulness as fresh and tasty as his confectionary cast. Ages 3–5. Agent: Rosemary Stimola, Stimola Literary Studio.

Starred review from April 1, 2015

PreS-Gr 1-In this amusing and downright bizarre tale, readers learn about cakes whose dispositions aren't nearly as sweet as their flavoring. One bratty confection, who never waits his turn and refuses to obey his parents, finally gets his comeuppance when a cyclops reaches into his bedroom window one night and eagerly scoops him up. Slyly subverting expectations, the author explains that cyclops don't eat cakes-they enjoy wearing them as hats. But cyclops are far more considerate, and the one-eyed creature quickly returns the dessert to his home, resulting in a kinder, gentler cake. Children learning to say, "Please" and "Thank you" will delight in the over-the-top rude behavior here, such as the cake exploding with anger at a tiny marshmallow and chocolate muffin. The use of dynamic, large fonts for emphasis, hilarious dialogue conveyed through speech bubbles, and the exaggerated expressions and responses of characters add further to the zany flavor of this story. Digitally created, with pencil and ink, the cartoonlike illustrations match the tone of the text, quirk for quirk. The strange creations depicted here have an adorably grotesque feel: the cakes are multilayered concoctions perched precariously on tiny peglike legs, while the monsters are toothy, big-eyed, hairy ovals. Watkins has whipped up a truly surreal story, crammed with hilarious details and gently laced with an important lesson; pair this one with Steve Antony's Please Mr. Panda (Scholastic, 2015) for a fun primer on manners. VERDICT This entertaining offering will make for a riotous storytime.-Mahnaz Dar, School Library Journal

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from June 1, 2015
Preschool-G *Starred Review* Rude cakes never say thank you, never apologize, and think bedtime is for donut holes. One such cake, two-tiered and pink, terrorizes her fellow pastries. She takes a cupcake's toy. She shouts at a formerly carefree marshmallow. She blows past playground lines, taking as many turns as she wants. The rude cake is very rude, indeed, until a large creature snatches her from her bedroom and delivers comeuppance in an unexpected fashion. It turns out that giant Cyclopses are the epitome of good manners! In a hysterical but slightly traumatic twist, the rude cake is taught the value of being polite and considerate by her unwitting abductor, learning the lesson that no cake is ever too rude to change. Watkins' muted watercolors bounce along with vintage sweetness and whimsy. Kids will connect with the hard knocks on the playground, giggle gleefully as the bullying rude cake is taken hostage, and observe the value of behaving nicely. Using humor and tasty snacks, Watkins demonstrates the importance of good manners without being preachy, sneaking in the lesson like zucchini in a muffin. Pair with Laurie Keller's Do Unto Otters (2007) for extra etiquette. Guaranteed to delight; kids will be askingoh so nicelyto Read it again, please! (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)