The Fairytale Cake [Hardcover]

Mark Sperring (Author), Jonathan Langley (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2005 | Age Level: 3 and up

Maybe it wasn't your mom who baked your amazing birthday cake after all. Maybe it was created by a delicious cast of characters from your favorite nursery rhymes!

"We make a cake / We bake a cake / And send it on its way!"
Beloved characters from classic nursery rhymes --- everyone from Humpty Dumpty to Little Bo Peep to Old King Cole --- collaborate to bake the most perfect, towering, delicious cake . . . and roll it along to its special recipient --- the birthday boy or girl!
Mark Sperring's spare but sweet text combined with Jonathan Langley's bright, timeless artwork make for a fun, read-aloud book that allows readers to pick out their favorite nursery rhyme characters in the illustrations. Ideal for birthdays . . . or any occasion!

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-K–An array of characters from Western fairy tales and nursery rhymes comes together to produce and deliver an enormous cake. Each colorful spread is packed with action as a king and queen, sheep, a big bad wolf, etc., journey across the magical countryside. In the end, they arrive at the birthday child's house. So close your eyes, and make a wish! Happy, Happy Birthday! The simple, rhyming text rolls across the pages. We make a cake,/we bake a cake,/a very, very special cake,/and send it on its way. Children will enjoy looking at the pictures and picking out familiar faces in the busy, humorous drawings. In one spread, the vehicle carrying the cake escapes the queen's control and races down the road while the Knave of Hearts ducks out of the way, the Gingerbread Man hangs onto a candle, and Little Bo Peep and her flock look on. In the background, Rapunzel, Old King Cole, Jack, Little Red Riding Hood, and the Three Little Pigs watch the excitement. A worthy consideration for picture-book collections.–Suzanne Myers Harold, Multnomah County Library System, Portland, OR
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

PreS-K. The King and Queen of Hearts bake an enormous birthday cake and wheel it over a hill, across a bridge, through fields, past houses, and into the home of a little boy, where they wish him "Happy, Happy Birthday!" With only a few words on each double-page spread, is this a fast read for young children at bedtime? Probably not, because the artwork adds to the brief text in a playful manner that invites participation. The pleasant ink drawings, bright with colorful washes, show an ever-expanding cast of interested bystanders joining the royal procession along the way. Preschoolers who know their nursery tales and Mother Goose rhymes will want to linger on each page and identify every member of the crowd. Some characters, such as the Knave of Hearts and the Gingerbread Man, can be found in each picture, while others just make cameo appearances. Fun for reading aloud to one child or many--the more, the merrier. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: The Chicken House (July 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0439683297
• ISBN-13: 978-0439683296
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 9.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,412,738 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Birthday Gift!, June 16, 2006

By 

C. Crandall (Houston, Texas USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Fairytale Cake (Hardcover)

My [...] daughter received this book as a birthday present and it has quickly become a favorite. As a former elementary school teacher, I have a vast collection of picture books. This is a precious story and my daughter enjoyed picking out the classic characters that she recognized. A wonderful selection for any young reader.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars terrible book, February 16, 2006

By 

M. Fitzgerald - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Fairytale Cake (Hardcover)

This book has nothing to do with fairytales except for that you might be able to pick out a character here and there from the pictures in a "Where's Waldo?" sort of way. The story...well isn't even a story. It doesn't rhyme or make sense. I can't believe that this was published. I bought this for my daughter's 1st birthday and it was a major disappointment for me. I would not purchase it again. Infact it almost needs to visit the garbage can. A waste of money.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great pictures, March 15, 2006

By 

LSJ - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Fairytale Cake (Hardcover)

I loved the artwork in this book. Makes a nice b-day present.