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Ella Takes The Cake
Ella longs for a little independence in this second adventure for the charming elephant.
Ella the elephant is too little to slice the cake in her mother's bakery, and the oven is absolutely off-limits. It feels like she can't do ANYTHING important - until Ella's mother needs help with an emergency cake delivery. Then Ella peddles off on her trusty cart to prove herself, but there's a bumpy road ahead!
In her second magical adventure, Ella the elegant elephant shows that you're never too little to save the day - so long as you have a big heart.
Ella the elephant is too little to slice the cake in her mother's bakery, and the oven is absolutely off-limits. It feels like she can't do ANYTHING important - until Ella's mother needs help with an emergency cake delivery. Then Ella peddles off on her trusty cart to prove herself, but there's a bumpy road ahead!
In her second magical adventure, Ella the elegant elephant shows that you're never too little to save the day - so long as you have a big heart.
48 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2005
1 person is currently reading
74 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
March 29, 2012
Okay, I will admit it, I was totally taken in by the sweet cover (love the artwork, and the hardcover edition for sale at the library (for only $2!) has the most darling red bow on it) The illustrations really make the story for me. I just love them--the elephants are so adorable, and I love the European setting. The cake in this is just lovely! The storytelling is just okay for me (as it was with the original Ella book) but I like how Ella wanted to help out and I think many children will relate to feeling like there is nothing they are allowed to do to help no matter how much they want to. Kudos to Ella's mom for finding something for her daughter to to do help out with the family bakery business.
July 8, 2019
Ella, the little elephant whose adventures as the new kid in town (and at school) were chronicled in
Ella the Elegant Elephant
, returns in this second story, which sees her anxious to help out at her mother's bakery. Denied the opportunity at first, because her mother considers her too young to work near the stove (she might be burned!) or use a cake-knife (it's so sharp!), Ella eventually gets her chance when the deliveryman forgets an important cake intended for Captain Kernel, out at his lighthouse. Jumping into her bike-driven cart, Ella volunteers to deliver the beautiful confection. She doesn't count on domineering Belinda however, who jumps into the cart and demands a ride! Will Ella get to the lighthouse in time, and (most importantly) will the cake be intact when she does...?
Like its predecessor, Ella Takes the Cake is a cute book, with an engaging heroine and adorable illustrations. Young readers who have themselves been frustrated by their parents prohibitions on certain activities, because they are too young, and might hurt themselves (and that's probably most young readers!), will identify with Ella's feelings, and cheer her on, as she sets out on her quest. It's nice to see a children's book characters who is so eager to help out - which isn't to say they don't exist, of course! - and who persists, even when it requires quite a bit of effort. All in all, a sweet little book, one that I recommend to young readers who enjoyed any of the other Ella books, or who like animal stories.
Like its predecessor, Ella Takes the Cake is a cute book, with an engaging heroine and adorable illustrations. Young readers who have themselves been frustrated by their parents prohibitions on certain activities, because they are too young, and might hurt themselves (and that's probably most young readers!), will identify with Ella's feelings, and cheer her on, as she sets out on her quest. It's nice to see a children's book characters who is so eager to help out - which isn't to say they don't exist, of course! - and who persists, even when it requires quite a bit of effort. All in all, a sweet little book, one that I recommend to young readers who enjoyed any of the other Ella books, or who like animal stories.
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November 2, 2019Reading with my daughter... 😀😀
November 17, 2024
من ألطف ما قرأت هذه السنه! 🐘✨
November 19, 2016
* Book Summary
Ella really wants to help her mother at the bakery, but her mother is afraid that she might get hurt or she thinks she too young to do certain things. When the opportunity arrives she gives Ella the task of delivering a very important cake to the lighthouse.
awards Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal
* Grade Level/ Interest level
1st Grade
* Appropriate Classroom Use
Read aloud to class during reading period.
*Student Who Might Benefit From Reading
All students
* Small Group Use
Assign book to groups and ask them to summarize Ella's journey and what would they have done differently.
* Whole Class Use
Discuss different way they can help at home and why certain task might be dangerous for Ella.
*Related Book In Genre
Ella Sets the Stage
*Multimedia Connections
N/A
Ella really wants to help her mother at the bakery, but her mother is afraid that she might get hurt or she thinks she too young to do certain things. When the opportunity arrives she gives Ella the task of delivering a very important cake to the lighthouse.
awards Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal
* Grade Level/ Interest level
1st Grade
* Appropriate Classroom Use
Read aloud to class during reading period.
*Student Who Might Benefit From Reading
All students
* Small Group Use
Assign book to groups and ask them to summarize Ella's journey and what would they have done differently.
* Whole Class Use
Discuss different way they can help at home and why certain task might be dangerous for Ella.
*Related Book In Genre
Ella Sets the Stage
*Multimedia Connections
N/A
August 1, 2013
I like the art, yes, and it is charming, but I am bothered by the fact that Ella is an Angel in the House (in not just this but all the books) whose main personality traits are her desire to please others... and her poor treatment by her 'friend' is not even addressed. My daughter very much learns the world from the books we read, and so we have had some long discussions about Belinda's behaviour and how Ella might have responded to it, either in the moment or later on.
March 26, 2026
Genre: Modern fantasy
Grade Level: K - 2nd
Such a sweet book and I love how it talks about helping others. It has great visuals and easy to read words along with some new words that can challenge our readers. I would totally read this aloud in a classroom, especially when talking about how we can help those around us.
Grade Level: K - 2nd
Such a sweet book and I love how it talks about helping others. It has great visuals and easy to read words along with some new words that can challenge our readers. I would totally read this aloud in a classroom, especially when talking about how we can help those around us.
July 17, 2018
Just as cute as the first book! I love Ella the elephant and her big beautiful magical lucky hat! The illustrations are awesome and the story is engaging, interesting, and sweet.
[SPOILERS AHEAD]
Ella loves to help and wanted to take on an important mission so she can show her mom how much she can help. Well, when the delivery man forgot to take one of the cakes, Ella offered to take it for him with her bike. Her mom let her and off she went with some obstacles! I got nervous about her taking the huge cake all the way to the lighthouse by herself, but I'm glad it got there all in one piece! The ending is really sweet.
[SPOILERS AHEAD]
Ella loves to help and wanted to take on an important mission so she can show her mom how much she can help. Well, when the delivery man forgot to take one of the cakes, Ella offered to take it for him with her bike. Her mom let her and off she went with some obstacles! I got nervous about her taking the huge cake all the way to the lighthouse by herself, but I'm glad it got there all in one piece! The ending is really sweet.
February 7, 2026
Contemporary realistic fiction
Kindergarten–1st grade
Ella Takes the Cake is a book I enjoyed because it shows situations that can really happen in a classroom. I think the story does a good job of teaching lessons about patience, sharing, and thinking about others without being boring. I would recommend this book for younger students because it helps start conversations about behavior and friendships.
Kindergarten–1st grade
Ella Takes the Cake is a book I enjoyed because it shows situations that can really happen in a classroom. I think the story does a good job of teaching lessons about patience, sharing, and thinking about others without being boring. I would recommend this book for younger students because it helps start conversations about behavior and friendships.
February 17, 2026
Grade: K-3
Genre: Fiction
I thought that this book was so cute. It showed how sometimes wanting to establish your independence can come with some trials and difficulty. One thing that stood out to me was how one of the characters that came into play appeared to be there to help but instead they just ended up making everything more difficult, which is something I think that a lot of people can relate to.
Genre: Fiction
I thought that this book was so cute. It showed how sometimes wanting to establish your independence can come with some trials and difficulty. One thing that stood out to me was how one of the characters that came into play appeared to be there to help but instead they just ended up making everything more difficult, which is something I think that a lot of people can relate to.
March 10, 2026
Genre: Children's Realistic Fiction/Humor
Grade Range: Grades K-3
Honestly, I did not like this book at all. Ella tried to bake a cake for her family, and even though things didn't go perfectly, she kept going and learns from her mistakes. I do think this story is lighthearted and humorous, which can make it enjoyable for young readers. The illustrations in this book are bright and expressive, helping capture Ella's emotions and the funny moments of the story.
Grade Range: Grades K-3
Honestly, I did not like this book at all. Ella tried to bake a cake for her family, and even though things didn't go perfectly, she kept going and learns from her mistakes. I do think this story is lighthearted and humorous, which can make it enjoyable for young readers. The illustrations in this book are bright and expressive, helping capture Ella's emotions and the funny moments of the story.
May 19, 2017
Read this to a class of kindergartners today and they were mesmerized by the illustrations (and the story). The kids liked all of Ella's near misses with transporting the cake and that by being helpful and following through with that chore allowed her to do a big kid job at the end of the story.
August 19, 2021
I was bothered by how short the elephant trunks were. Also… Ella’s friend was a total jerk. I did not like her. And there is NO WAY the cake would’ve survived all that and looked as pristine as it did in the end.
October 23, 2017
Ella is a brave young girl who never girls up. I loved the storyline of this book!
January 29, 2018
Ella is a little elephant who wants to help out in her mother's bakery and all around the town! Retro looking illustrations add to the charm in this colorful and lovely book.
September 17, 2018
One of my favorite Books as a Child :)
April 11, 2019
This is a cute, simple book about wanting to help someone. The plot is cute, and I think children would enjoy this book.
July 29, 2021
This was one of my favorite books as a little kid.
Finding this unlocked a lot of memories I didn’t even know I had🥰
Finding this unlocked a lot of memories I didn’t even know I had🥰
April 21, 2026
Modern fantasy, K-3
This book is sweet and engaging. I love how it encourages friendship and working together. It just shows resilience, and it's perfectly portrayed with the illustrations.
This book is sweet and engaging. I love how it encourages friendship and working together. It just shows resilience, and it's perfectly portrayed with the illustrations.
March 24, 2017
A great story about helping others.
March 13, 2015
All Ella wants to do is help her mom in anyway at her family's bakery. But, Ella is just too small to do anything important. All she's allowed to do is sweep the floor, not anything important like helping take out macaroons from the oven or slicing a piece of pineapple pie for a customer. It's only when Mr Banjo, the delivery man, leaves a cake behind that Ella has a moment to shine and show her mom that she can be a big help.
This was a very cute book with illustrations that reminded me of The Adventures of Babar (Although, it could have been also been the fact that this book's characters are elephants). This husband and wife team worked really well together to create a story and characters that were both really fun to read about. I enjoyed the illustrations particularly. I just thought they were so cute and they are still enticing me to draw Ella riding her cart filled with cake.
Ella has one main obstacle she has to confront. You would think it would be her being too small but really it's two words: Belinda Blue. Belinda Blue is a very inconsiderate, pushy elephant who doesn't take no for an answer. She puts Ella in positions that have her compromising the arrival of her cake delivery. I think Belinda brings up a great conversation for parents to talk to their kids about bullies or people who only think of themselves. It would have been nice to see Ella tell Belinda how she feels about her actions but maybe in another one of Ella's books.
I noticed Ella only seems to have one parent. I haven't read any other books about her so I don't know if it is true. If Ella has a single parent I think that's really inspiring and shows diversity in the way families can be different from one another. Her mom being a single parent and a business owner? I loved that about this book.
I would recommend reading Ella Takes the Cake. It was a very cute book that is a conversation starter. I would also recommend reading Ella's first book, Ella the Elegant Elephant, before this one since there was reference to Ella's lucky hat and of course so you can understand the basics of Ella's life in Little Village.
This was a very cute book with illustrations that reminded me of The Adventures of Babar (Although, it could have been also been the fact that this book's characters are elephants). This husband and wife team worked really well together to create a story and characters that were both really fun to read about. I enjoyed the illustrations particularly. I just thought they were so cute and they are still enticing me to draw Ella riding her cart filled with cake.
Ella has one main obstacle she has to confront. You would think it would be her being too small but really it's two words: Belinda Blue. Belinda Blue is a very inconsiderate, pushy elephant who doesn't take no for an answer. She puts Ella in positions that have her compromising the arrival of her cake delivery. I think Belinda brings up a great conversation for parents to talk to their kids about bullies or people who only think of themselves. It would have been nice to see Ella tell Belinda how she feels about her actions but maybe in another one of Ella's books.
I noticed Ella only seems to have one parent. I haven't read any other books about her so I don't know if it is true. If Ella has a single parent I think that's really inspiring and shows diversity in the way families can be different from one another. Her mom being a single parent and a business owner? I loved that about this book.
I would recommend reading Ella Takes the Cake. It was a very cute book that is a conversation starter. I would also recommend reading Ella's first book, Ella the Elegant Elephant, before this one since there was reference to Ella's lucky hat and of course so you can understand the basics of Ella's life in Little Village.
March 23, 2026
Genre: Modern Fantasy
Grades: PreK-2
I thought that this book was very cute! I believe that a lot of young students can relate to this book because they are beginning to try and prove their independence and responsibility. Ella Takes The Cake also has a very good moral of finishing the tasks you started.
Grades: PreK-2
I thought that this book was very cute! I believe that a lot of young students can relate to this book because they are beginning to try and prove their independence and responsibility. Ella Takes The Cake also has a very good moral of finishing the tasks you started.
March 31, 2026
Modern Fantasy
Prek-2nd
What a cute book! I love the illustrations all throughout. I think this book does a great job of showing how friends should treat each other and knowing their limits! It also shows how to be a helpful and happy person! I had never heard of this book before and I think it is quite unique incorporating animals into humanly experiences, which I think just makes the book so much more interesting!
Prek-2nd
What a cute book! I love the illustrations all throughout. I think this book does a great job of showing how friends should treat each other and knowing their limits! It also shows how to be a helpful and happy person! I had never heard of this book before and I think it is quite unique incorporating animals into humanly experiences, which I think just makes the book so much more interesting!
December 29, 2010
Ella is a little elephant who wants to be a big help to her mother who works at a bakery. She goes on an errand to deliver a giant cake across town. She picks up other deliveries on her way, even though she was supposed to go straight through with the cake. Her wagon gets too heavy, and she almost ruins the cake. Everything works out well in the end.
The artwork tells the story just as much as the words do. The reader gets to see the many different things that are in the town. The words tell a story that has predictable parts that a young child could anticipate.
Young children will enjoy reading this book about an ambitious little girl who wants to help. Many young children want to help, and end up taking on jobs that are too difficult. Ella can serve as a good example of making sure you only take on the amount of work that you can handle.
The artwork tells the story just as much as the words do. The reader gets to see the many different things that are in the town. The words tell a story that has predictable parts that a young child could anticipate.
Young children will enjoy reading this book about an ambitious little girl who wants to help. Many young children want to help, and end up taking on jobs that are too difficult. Ella can serve as a good example of making sure you only take on the amount of work that you can handle.
July 30, 2008
Another in the Ella the Elephant series, this book focuses on Ella wanting to help her mother in the bakery. She tries and tries to help, but her mother won't let her because she's too small, or she might get hurt. Ella knows that she could be a big help if only she gets a chance. Then, her chance comes: the delivery driver forgot a cake and Ella rigs up a cart to her bicycle to take it. Her mom allows it, but Ella runs into many distractions along the way--will she be able to help after all?
Cute story and the illustrations are adorable and quite detailed. I know I read several of these books when I was younger, but I'm looking forward to rereading them soon.
Cute story and the illustrations are adorable and quite detailed. I know I read several of these books when I was younger, but I'm looking forward to rereading them soon.
March 20, 2016
Amazon Book Description:
Ella longs for a little independence in this second adventure for the charming elephant.
Ella the elephant is too little to slice the cake in her mother's bakery, and the oven is absolutely off-limits. It feels like she can't do ANYTHING important - until Ella's mother needs help with an emergency cake delivery. Then Ella peddles off on her trusty cart to prove herself, but there's a bumpy road ahead!
In her second magical adventure, Ella the elegant elephant shows that you're never too little to save the day - so long as you have a big heart.
Ella longs for a little independence in this second adventure for the charming elephant.
Ella the elephant is too little to slice the cake in her mother's bakery, and the oven is absolutely off-limits. It feels like she can't do ANYTHING important - until Ella's mother needs help with an emergency cake delivery. Then Ella peddles off on her trusty cart to prove herself, but there's a bumpy road ahead!
In her second magical adventure, Ella the elegant elephant shows that you're never too little to save the day - so long as you have a big heart.
April 7, 2026
Kindergarten through 2nd grade
Genre: realistic fiction
The book was very entertaining and a good read for little kids. The pictures were captivating and full of color. The story also had a few different lessons in this book. One, be a good friend. There is no reason to be pushy, and you should always finish what you start. The second lesson was to be a good person, a good friend, daughter, worker, etc., and you will be rewarded. This book is a good one to teach important life skills to kids.
Genre: realistic fiction
The book was very entertaining and a good read for little kids. The pictures were captivating and full of color. The story also had a few different lessons in this book. One, be a good friend. There is no reason to be pushy, and you should always finish what you start. The second lesson was to be a good person, a good friend, daughter, worker, etc., and you will be rewarded. This book is a good one to teach important life skills to kids.
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May 4, 2013I'm working on creating a booklist for my local public library. This book was one in consideration for this list.
Another great book on responsibility. It's going on the list not only for the responsibility aspect, but the main character's politeness in stressful and new situations is something to be admired. A completely adorable story and illustrations and I think it would make a great storytime.
Another great book on responsibility. It's going on the list not only for the responsibility aspect, but the main character's politeness in stressful and new situations is something to be admired. A completely adorable story and illustrations and I think it would make a great storytime.
August 5, 2008
I'm trying to record books my daughter and I enjoy reading together. This book about Ella was a pleasant read for both of us. I was fascinated by the illustrations (Greece? Italy?) and the idea of a girl whose mother runs a bakery. Livia enjoyed the tale as well, so I plan to pick up more of d'Amico's books from the library.
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