2017-10-01
A pair of siblings bakes cupcakes, with a little help from Kitty.The preschooler and toddler gather ingredients, measure, and mix under the watchful eye of their playful tuxedo kitten. The declarative, sometimes imperative text is as straightforward as a recipe: "Sprinkle salt, but not too much. Don't forget the baking powder. / Creaming the butter is hard work. / Sugar on fingers sure is sweet. Wash hands." Those last two sentences are illustrated by, on verso, a close-up of the toddler with fingers in mouth; on recto, above the text, the kitten licks its paw. Readers will enjoy discussing whether the kitten is washing or enjoying a little spilled sugar. The children have straight black hair and brown skin; Mommy, visible only as a pair of hands lifting Kitty away from the flour, also has brown skin. Although she is in the kitchen, the focus is on the children's activities, and the use of low-tech tools—they cream the butter by hand, hence the "hard work"—ensures that they can be active participants rather than bystanders. There is more than one mishap (Kitty takes care of the broken egg on the floor), but with more hand-washing and trying again, eventually the cupcakes are ready for Mommy to put them in the oven. Benoit's art features distinct outlines, rounded figures, and soft colors—the mutual affection is apparent on every page.A recipe for success. (Picture book. 2-4)
Praise for Baby Cakes
2022 CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens Selection
2018 Shelf Awareness "Dogs Days" round up selection
"This pleasant book makes baking look like so much fun that kiddos are likely to be inspired to try to help out in the kitchen."—Booklist
"Benoit offers a wide variety of perspectives so readers can see the way the batter looks in a big bowl, while on another page, the younger boy's eyes barely peek over the top of the baking tin. Recipes for chocolate cupcakes and vanilla frosting appear on the endpapers. VERDICT This brief story will go over well in a storytime with a cooking theme. A sweet treat that's sure to please."—School Library Journal
"Although [Mommy] is in the kitchen, the focus is on the children's activities, and the use of low-tech tools — they cream the butter by hand, hence the 'hard work' — ensures that they can be active participants rather than bystanders....Benoit's art features distinct outlines, rounded figures, and soft colors — the mutual affection is apparent on every page. A recipe for success."—Kirkus Reviews
"For both children and adults, Renné Benoit's adroit and totally appealing illustrations of childhood are another treat and she perfectly captures the fleeting nature of these small familiar moments of curious children... and cats!...[Baby Cakes] is great for a public library or a parent/grandparent who likes to bake."—Resource Links Magazine
"Told in simple text by Theo Heras, charmingly illustrated on every page by Renne Benoit, and delivered in a sturdy, padded cover with stronger pages that are perfect for little hands, Baby Cakes...is especially recommended for children ages 1 to 3, making it appropriate for family, daycare center, preschool, and community library collections."—Midwest Book Review
"Very expressive digitally created watercolor illustrations accompanied by very large bold typeface create a very endearing story."—Youth Services Book Review
“With connections of family and a love for baking, this is a great read for little ones.”—YA Books Central
"[W]hen I'd recently read [my daughter] Baby Cakes, by Theo Heras and Renne Benoit, she declared, 'That's such a good book, Mommy.'...This book would make a great Christmas gift from 3-5-year-olds. With simple vocabulary, a brother and sister work together to make cupcakes (with the unhelpful assistance of their pet cat)....The recipe inside makes for a nice extension of the book, bringing the story to life and inspiring the reader to try something new. That the brother and sister in the story bake together without the help of grown-ups (except for with the oven) inspires independence. Plus, the cupcakes were delicious."—Pickle Me This
"The illustrations are cute and everyone looks like they are having fun....a nice idea for kids who like to help in the kitchen....[T]here has been much discussion of late of more children's books where the children can see themselves in the books they read, requiring more diverse characters in kids' books, especially where the characters are just themselves without commentary on race or ethnicity and I was pleased to see this book as a great example of filling that need."—Canadian Bookworm
"The text is presented as short, catchy sentences and phrases and is complemented by colourful illustrations....Recommended."—CM Magazine
“5 out of 5 stars…This is such a cute little book!... I love the adorable illustrations. The art style is soft with warm colors…You can almost smell the delicious aroma of the cakes wafting off the pages.”—Luminous Libro
“Baby Cakes is a board book that follows a pair of siblings…as they go through the steps of baking some “baby cakes”… I just noticed a “Parental Guide” on the back of this book that tells caretakers what topics appear in the book. What a brilliant way to quickly scan what the book may entail!”—@ohthebookswelove
“What a sweet treat this story was! It will certainly get your toddlers excited to bake and to share delicious treats with a friend.”—@raisingreaderstobecomeleaders
“Simple text, sweet illustrations, and thick board book pages make this perfect for the youngest readers.”—Charlotte Offsay (Instagram)
