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The Sugar Mouse Cake
With the help of friendly white mouse, Tina, a cook's assistant, Tom, bakes a cake judged the best in the kingdom and thus becomes the King's Chief Pastry Cook.
- GenresPicture BooksChildrens
48 pages, Library Binding
First published January 1, 1964
113 people want to read
About the author
Gene Zion
74 books68 followersBorn on October 5, in 1913, Gene Zion attended the New School of Social Research and the Pratt Institute. In 1948, he married artist Margaret Bloy Graham, who then collaborated with him on all his picture books. When their marriage ended in 1968, Zion also ended his career as an author. Zion is best known for his creation of the rascally dog, Harry, who appears in such books as HARRY THE DIRTY DOG and HARRY BY THE SEA. He died in 1975.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
March 25, 2009
I've decided to start marking books that were my favorites as a child so I don't forget to buy them for the children in my life.
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One of the saddest things that occurs regularly at our public libraries is the trashing a great old books to make room for new ones.
If you ask anyone in the Winona Kendall family what the favorite bedtime book was for all three of us (and my folks!), I think we would all say the Sugar Mouse Cake, hands down. I have a sneaking suspicion that the movie "Ratatouille" was inspired by the Sugar Mouse Cake. The real beauty in this book is not in the story itself necessarily, but rather in the simple pictures of CAKES! We would spend, literally, hours paging through the book and arguing over our favorite cakes. We took this book out of the Winona Public Library about once a month.
My mom went to go try to get it out of the library again about 5 years ago and was told that the library "threw it away because we had to make room for a new Dora the Explorer shelf." Tragedy! Blaspheme! So I my mom and I began hunting online: the book was out of print. She searched the Southeast MN library circuit: no one had it anymore. I searched the Twin Cities library circuit: Bingo! We found a single battered copy floating around the MSP library system, which I requested, then "lost." Yes that is right. I "lost" the book. I "lost" it into my personal collection of books I am saving from certain destruction. :)
A good book is always worth the fight.
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One of the saddest things that occurs regularly at our public libraries is the trashing a great old books to make room for new ones.
If you ask anyone in the Winona Kendall family what the favorite bedtime book was for all three of us (and my folks!), I think we would all say the Sugar Mouse Cake, hands down. I have a sneaking suspicion that the movie "Ratatouille" was inspired by the Sugar Mouse Cake. The real beauty in this book is not in the story itself necessarily, but rather in the simple pictures of CAKES! We would spend, literally, hours paging through the book and arguing over our favorite cakes. We took this book out of the Winona Public Library about once a month.
My mom went to go try to get it out of the library again about 5 years ago and was told that the library "threw it away because we had to make room for a new Dora the Explorer shelf." Tragedy! Blaspheme! So I my mom and I began hunting online: the book was out of print. She searched the Southeast MN library circuit: no one had it anymore. I searched the Twin Cities library circuit: Bingo! We found a single battered copy floating around the MSP library system, which I requested, then "lost." Yes that is right. I "lost" the book. I "lost" it into my personal collection of books I am saving from certain destruction. :)
A good book is always worth the fight.
Read
December 17, 2013This is a childhood favorite whose title and author I had forgotten. After about fifteen years of searching, I finally remembered enough to find it with a Google search. I was sad to discover it's out-of-print. Kudos to the U-M library for keeping it in their collection. Publishers: Please re-release this book!
July 19, 2016
My favorite childhood book. I wish they would reprint this book for other children to enjoy. So glad I got a copy from a library sale in the 80s. I will never sell!
January 6, 2021
This was a fun story, but I was surprised and disappointed that the King and Queen never even tasted Tom's cake!
October 5, 2020
I had fond memories of this and having just finished reading the Harry the Dirty Dog books, I requested this from the library.
It's the story of a pastry chef, of the lowliest order who upon the head pastry chef's retirement enters a contest to win the job of head chef. No one believes in him (except perhaps his pet mouse Tina) and the other chefs try to trip him, resulting in damage to the cake. Tina is forced to stand in as a sugar mouse to hide the damage.
So, pros: uh, the mouse is cute? The lowly chef proves his worth and moves up in the world?
Cons: Well, the book is SO LONG. I mean, you are not going to be a happy camper if someone requests this a bedtime, because it is a COMMITMENT. Also, the queen, is clearly the villain in this. She is also fat. These things are related in the story. She loves the cheesecake so much she refuses to even TASTE the sugar mouse cake. And the proceeds to eat so much cake that she ends up not feeling well. So that's some fatphobic crap. Also, I don't think ANYONE ever tastes the sugar mouse cake? So it's been picked as best based on how it looks alone? I don't know if today's kids raised on competition cooking shows are going to go for that.
Anyway, as a nostalgic read, it falls flat.
It's the story of a pastry chef, of the lowliest order who upon the head pastry chef's retirement enters a contest to win the job of head chef. No one believes in him (except perhaps his pet mouse Tina) and the other chefs try to trip him, resulting in damage to the cake. Tina is forced to stand in as a sugar mouse to hide the damage.
So, pros: uh, the mouse is cute? The lowly chef proves his worth and moves up in the world?
Cons: Well, the book is SO LONG. I mean, you are not going to be a happy camper if someone requests this a bedtime, because it is a COMMITMENT. Also, the queen, is clearly the villain in this. She is also fat. These things are related in the story. She loves the cheesecake so much she refuses to even TASTE the sugar mouse cake. And the proceeds to eat so much cake that she ends up not feeling well. So that's some fatphobic crap. Also, I don't think ANYONE ever tastes the sugar mouse cake? So it's been picked as best based on how it looks alone? I don't know if today's kids raised on competition cooking shows are going to go for that.
Anyway, as a nostalgic read, it falls flat.
February 17, 2021
I agree with some other reviews. Reading it as an adult there are some themes that fall flat. BUT I remember reading this story as a child. I was enthralled thinking about the idea of having a secret little friend. I loved seeing the different mini cakes Tom made for Tina. Watching him carefully work on his cake all night filled me with excitement and creative energy. The surprise ending was amazing to me. It was one of my all time favorite stories. I don't think kids will be so picky about the details. It you have a creative child who likes design things, I highly recommend this book!
January 22, 2020
Tom, the 9th assistant to the pastry cook, made good cakes, but only Tina, a mouse, knows it. When the head cook retires, Tom wins with a sugar mouse cake that Tina is a replacement on.
Cute story. Pictures cute but not very colorful.
Cute story. Pictures cute but not very colorful.
May 15, 2019
This old classic children's book can be enthusiastically read aloud. Our 3 year old complained it was long, but the older two loved it.
October 2, 2021
Great story about hidden talents, putting yourself out there, staying true to friends, and friendships above success.
Had to request through ILL.
Had to request through ILL.
Read
June 16, 2011This was a childhood favorite. I have tried for years to obtain a copy for myself. I have even tried to write to the publisher. I have been told that it will not be re-released. It is unfortunate. Gene Zion has also written Harry the Dirty Dog books and they are still out. If this is ever re-released, it is a must have!
March 1, 2012
I have no idea why this utterly charming book is OOP. It's from the team that brought us Harry the Dirty Dog! It's the story of a young pastry chef vying to be the Royal Pastry Chef with the help of his best friend, a mouse who lives in the flour pantry. This one's really hard to find (I lucked out at a library sale) but keep your eyes peeled.
December 26, 2013
This is one of my most favorite books from my childhood! I was an oilfield brat and moved around a lot. I'm sure my mother sold it in a garage sale. It will be pricey to replace....but I will do so for my grandchildren!
December 5, 2009
Gorgeous illustrations by the amazing Gene Zion. Impossible to find, sadly.
April 21, 2011
One of my favourite books from childhood. I love it.
June 4, 2016
one of my favorites as a child.
January 27, 2016
I LOVED this when I was a kid. Unfortunately, I haven't seen it in years, and I only have a vague recollection of what the story was about. I would love to get my hands on it again.
January 17, 2015
my all time favourite book when I was a child - I count myself lucky that I have a copy
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews