Plenty of Pancakes

by Carrie Finison, Brianne Farley (Illustrator)

From the creators of Dozens of Doughnuts comes a lively take on friendship, springtime, and counting by fives.

Opossum Topsy is preparing a "Welcome Spring!" meal for her bear friend LouAnn, who has been asleep all winter long. She's brought milk, eggs, berries, and syrup, and soon she has five perfect pancakes, fresh from the pan. But when Topsy's back is turned—MUNCH! MUNCH! MUNCH!—she discovers someone has eaten all of the pancakes! No problem, she'll just make more, counting out five at a time. But then, it happens again! Who could the thief be?

Whether it's squirrels, or crows, or someone else swiping the food, Topsy knows she doesn't have much time left before hungry LouAnn wakes up. And it will take the help of all her animal friends to get the feast done in time. Can they make enough pancakes to feed everyone?

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Food, Friendship, Childrens, Storytime, Juvenile

40 pages, Hardcover

Published January 27, 2026

About the author

Carrie Finison began her literary career at the age of seven with an idea, a box of markers, and her father’s typewriter. She has been writing off and on ever since, though she has (somewhat regretfully) traded in the typewriter for a laptop. Her picture books include DOZENS OF DOUGHNUTS, illustrated by Brianne Farley (Putnam, 2020) - a Junior Library Guild selection; DON'T HUG DOUG, illustrated by Daniel Wiseman (Putnam, 2021) - an ALA Notable Children's Book; LULU & ZOEY: A SISTER STORY, illustrated by Brittany Jackson (Running Press Kids, 2022); HURRY, LITTLE TORTOISE, TIME FOR SCHOOL, illustrated by Erin Kraan (Random House Studio, 2022). Her latest picture book is PIGS DIG A ROAD (Putnam, 2024) She lives outside Boston with her husband, son, daughter, and two cats who permit her to write in their cozy attic office. Find her online at http://www.carriefinison.com or on Instagram @CarrieFinson. Subscribe to her occasional newsletter for events, giveaways and more: http://www.carriefinison.com/newsletter

Reviews

[DiAnne Warfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holt-Delhi library PJ story time 06-10-2026

[Noodlenuts Kids Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Raise your hand if you're a fan of Karma Wilson's classic, perfect-for-reading-aloud Bear books, or if your favourite childhood memories include the lovely, gentle humour of Rosemary Wells (maybe you enjoyed the Max and Ruby cartoon along with her books!) or James Marshall's George and Martha. 🙋🏻‍♀️🙋🏻‍♀️🙋🏻‍♀️

If that's the case, then Carrie Finison is an author you need to get familiar with, and her "Plenty of Pancakes" (Jan 2026) is definitely for you and your kids.

Amidst a forest community of sweetly rounded animal characters (illustrator Brianne Farley did such a beautiful job making them all look utterly lovable), Topsy the opposum is planning the ultimate pancake brunch to welcome her bear bestie, LouAnn, back from hibernation. But as she bustles about, preparing the perfect pancakes, they keep DISAPPEARING every time Topsy looks away for a moment. What is even going on?!

In a perfect example of illustrations not just complementing but helping to tell the story, your kids will be giggling like mad as they watch this mystery unfold.

Add to this Finison's rare gift for creating rhyming text with a flawlessly readable cadence, and you've got an ideal read-aloud that's so timeless you'll probably be enjoying it with your grandchildren one day as well.

[Carol Farrington · Rating 4 out of 5]

My grandkids love pancakes so when I saw this book, I had to pick it up. I didn’t think there was a choice. It is about an opossum that is trying to do something lovely for a friend by baking pancakes for her. Her friend is Louanne who is a bear that’s been hibernating. Topsy is trying to do something to help her friend wake up and be happy when she does, but every time topsy finishes a batch of pancakes they disappear while her back is turned. So she makes more but those disappear. This goes on for a bit until she finally realizes it’s bear cubs that are stealing the pancakes. They happen to have woken up before the other bears and they are hungry too. To have enough for her friend Louanne, all her friends come out to help topsy make more pancake pancakes for her. This is a sweet book about doing kind gestures and helping out friends with a surprise at the end.

[Erin Buhr · Rating 5 out of 5]

The long awaited follow up to DOZENS OF DOUGHNUTS, this picture book is a pancakes feast. Topsy is creating a Welcome Spring feast for her friend but someone keeps stealing her pancakes. She wants to make sure there are plenty for everyone so she makes more and more. Written with rhyming text stuffed with onomatopoeia and just enough suspense, this works well as a read aloud. The illustrations are light and playful. My favorites are actually the end papers! Don't forget to peek at both the front and back ones. PLENTY OF PANCAKES is a humorous, cheerful read aloud that will make you want to immediately munch up some pancakes.

[Laura Roettiger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Plenty of Pancakes is a great read aloud with adorable animals, fun rhymes, sharing, and opportunities for audience participation! There's math so it works well for school and lesson planning or a little at-home practice. And it's always nice to include food in reading. This book pairs well with Dozens of Doughnuts, also by Carrie Finison & Brianne Farley since it is the sequel but we paired it with our favorite pancake toppings (strawberries and mini chocolate chips for me & mango, syrup, and whipped cream for my little one.

[Cathy Mealey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A super springtime story that serves as a delightful follow-up to Dozens of Doughnuts, written in perfect rhyme and charmingly illustrated with a fun fellowship of forest friends. Readers will love deciphering why Topsy the opossum, who is trying to prepare a post-hibernation breakfast for her friend LouAnn the bear, is finding her stacks of pancakes mysteriously disappearing. Who 'cub' it be?

Plenty of Pancakes is highly recommended as an engaging, feel-good story that is perfect for school, library, or home collections, particularly for celebrating the turning of the seasons.

[Terresa Wellborn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charming picture book featuring Topsy, who is the master chef of the forest, cooking up yummy pancakes. But what happens when the pancakes keep disappearing? No worries, a delightful ending tempts us all to go and have a pancake party, pronto!

PS: Don't forget to check out the delightful endpapers -- illustrations of pancakes with all sorts of toppings, each one unique!

Themes: animals, pancakes/food, friendship, spring, stories that rhyme
Ages: preK-2nd grade (may need to shorten)
Pub year: 2026

[PB FAIRY · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a cute and clever sequel to DOZENS OF DOUGHNUTS, with a few fun and furry additions to the cast! Topsy tries to make a feast for her friend LouAnn, who will be waking up from hibernation soon, but pancakes keep disappearing. Little readers will delight in knowing just where those pancake have gone long before Topsy and friends figure it out, thanks to the adorable illustrations. Can Topsy get the feast together in time? Fun rhyme, a bit of math (counting by fives), mystery, friendship, and teamwork make this book a highly recommended read.

[Suhasini Gupta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Plenty of Pancakes, written by Carrie Finison and illustrated by Brianne Farley, is a fun sequel to Dozens of Donuts. In this picture book, Opossum Topsy prepares to welcome her bear friend, LouAnn, after a long hibernation. Topsy makes plenty of pancakes in groups of five, but some thief keeps stealing them! Written in playful rhyme and featuring engaging read-aloud refrains, the story invites children to search for the pancake thief and join in the fun.

[Rebecca Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fun story! Who doesn’t love a big plate of fluffy pancakes with some butter and syrup?

I love that Topsy is trying to make a nice, big breakfast for her friend LuAnn when she wakes up from hibernation (LuAnn’s a bear). But the pancakes keep disappearing! You’ll find out why when you read.

This story is a great read-aloud. Author Carrie Finison also weaves in some math, and Brianne Farley’s illustrations are engaging!

[Robynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful and fun read-aloud and sequel to Dozens of Doughnuts! We are getting ready to welcome LouAnn out of hibernation and get to count up in sets of 5 for the pancakes. There are so many opportunities for kids to get involved while reading and a delightful twist at the end they will love to see coming. Fantastic illustrations as well! Definitely a must read for any household or classroom!

[Heather Stigall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Topsy is planning a “Welcome Spring!” feast for her hibernating bear friend, LouAnn, who readers might remember from the prequel to this book, Dozens of Donuts. But, like LouAnn, Topsy runs into a bit of trouble. Each time she makes a stack of five pancakes “hot from the pan” the disappear! Who keeps eating them? Eagle eyes will spot who the thieves are before Topsy uncovers the mystery, but that doesn’t make the ending any less delicious. Brianne Farley’s cheerful illustration and Carrie Finison’s rollicking rhyme, complete with pancake-laden end papers, adorable woodland creatures, and themes of friendship, cooperation, and community, make Plenty of Pancakes a perfect read-aloud and the perfect addition to your bookshelf.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pancakes galore! They keep disappearing? What is happening to all the pancakes that Topsy has made? Colorful illustrations and rhyming help tell Topsy the Opossum's story as she makes more and more pancakes. Children will love counting the stacks of pancakes, as well as trying to determine who is taking Topsy's pancakes.

[Christine Zandt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an ideal read-aloud because it encourages audience participation. It also has elements of the importance of friendship and sharing, plus some math. The art is fun and kids will enjoy trying to solve the mystery of who's eating all the pancakes. Highly recommend this sequel to DOZENS OF DOUGHNUTS.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is absolutely adorable and so much fun to read aloud. The rhyme is spot-on, and the illustrations are darling. And who can resist a book about pancakes?! There's even a subtle math element. It's a great follow-up to Finison's Dozens of Donuts (though you don't need to read the earlier book to "get" this book). I loved it!

[Juliana · Rating 5 out of 5]

LouAnne the bear is about to wake up from a long winter's snooze and her friend Topsy the possum knows she'll need plenty of nourishment once she leaves her den. But why do the pancakes she makes keep disappearing? An adorable rhyming sequel to Dozens of Donuts, with forest fun and phrases for kids to say.

[Miss Janis the Storytime Lady · Rating 3 out of 5]

the rhyming can be a little cloying, but it's fine. The older pres and Ks were WAAAAY ahead of the story, but littles and younger pres wouldn't necessarily be. I do wish the little bears were a little less obvious throughout, because it took away the mystery a little bit. but you get to talk about pancakes! and all the delicious ways to eat pancakes!

[Diane Mittler · Rating 5 out of 5]

PLENTY OF PANCAKES enchants readers with a wonderful cast of forest animal friends who gather and prepare for LouAnn the bear to wake from hibernation, ready to eat! Rhyming text, repetitive phrases, onomatopoeia and captivating end pages add to the fun!

[Dgottier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Plenty of Pancakes is a charming book full of spot-on rhymes and delightful characters. As in Dozens of Donuts, there are repeated call-out lines that make for a rousing read-aloud. The illustrations provide clues that little readers will enjoy spotting. There's so much to love!

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVE this book! It's such a fun read aloud, and it has a refrain that begs the question as to why five pancakes keep disappearing. The rhyme is perfect and the story is clever. Kids are going to love learning the mystery this book holds!

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very cute book about a friend making pancakes for her bear friend who is going to come out of hibernation, but the pancakes kept disappearing, so she needs the help of her other animals friends to finish her task.

[Tasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very cute follow up to DOZENS OF DOUGHNUTS. Kids will love MUNCH MUNCH MUNCHing along as someone keeps stealing Topsy's pancakes! When the thieves are revealed it is a welcome surprise, as there are still plenty of pancakes for sharing.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet sequel to Dozens of Doughnuts!

[Sylvia Chen · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a perfect sequel to DOZENS OF DOUGHNUTS! PLENTY OF PANCAKES is such a crowd-pleaser with its scrumptious food theme plus fun math throughout and a little mystery sprinkled in too. Simply irresistible!

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book so much! It's a lovely sequel to Dozens of Donuts, but can stand just fine on it's own. The story is delightful and kids will love seeing the pancake theives before the main character does. The rhyme is excellent and feels like natural speech. Highly reccommend!

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Topsy the possum is preparing a pancake party-- but her pancakes keep disappearing! Will she have any by the time her bear friend LouAnn wakes from hibernation? Adorable and fun!

[LibrErin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very cute "sequel" to Dozens of Dougnuts. Love the rhyming and counting. Fun to read.

[Melanie Gaum · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC from Edelweiss.

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun rhyming book with a surprise.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a really darling spring picture book filled with friends, foods, and counting!