Gateau

by Dorothée de MONFREID DOROTHEE DE

Tiger wants to bake a cake. A chocolate cake, obviously. But rabbit has a weakness for carrot cake. That's understandable. Monkey wants a banana cake. Dog is already licking his chops thinking about a bone cake. And little Bear, of course, really wants a fish cake. Is there a way to satisfy everyone?

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Food, Animals, Humor

23 pages, Board Book

First published September 1, 2014

Reviews

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can't have your cake and eat it too...but what if you can't even agree on what cake it should be? Great story for children - very nice art.

[Chance Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

A work of art about power and revolution. The tiger holds the power, but the prey animals have strength in numbers. The tiger holds the power, but makes no attempt to compromise or synthesize the wills of the rest. Each group is contained on its own page, tiger on verso, prey animals on recto, until the argument reaches its breaking point. The background turns blood red and the animals' shouts span the gutter between them. Vegetables are thrown, threats to lives are made. Then, a switch. The power dynamic changes and the animals switch sides. The tiger is shamed. If books need a moral lesson, this is a good one: when someone refuses to cooperate and threatens your life, team up and take them down.

[Melki · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was not a fan of the story, OR the artwork, but if slapstick's your thing - have at it.

[Anna · Rating 1 out of 5]

The Kindergartner picked this off the shelf at the library as his book choice. Later, he "read" it alone (mostly from the pictures, and a few sight words). When I picked it up to read it with him, he warned, "You're not going to like this, Mama. This isn't a good book."
As we started to read it, I said "This is like The Little Red Hen story that you studied last week, isn't it?" He said, "No, it's going to change. It's different."
Reading further, I discussed the lessons we could learn about how to be a good friend, and the mistakes the animals were making in their friendship. Things got worse the further we read. Then suddenly, it looked like it would all tie together for a nice lesson on forgiveness. "No, Mom, it's not nice!"
NOPE.
It's not.
I was going to give it 2 stars for the discussion it enabled with my son. But we really didn't find the joke funny. My son told me to give it zero stars, or 1/2 star. I'm going with 1 star 'cause I can't go with 1/2.

[Dawn · Rating 1 out of 5]

I think I lost IQ points by reading this book.

[Camille · Rating 3 out of 5]

To borrow from another reviewer,this book is absurd!But I found it fun to read aloud and the boldly-colored illustrations and cursive text match the absurdity perfectly. The childlike-adult person I read this book to thought maybe this could be an allusion to the French Revolution. “Let them eat cake!” The tiger represents the monarchy and elite. The other animals are the average citizens of France not getting what they ask for. Can you see it? Maybe? No? Oh well!

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

So hilarious! The premise is simple, tiger and his friends want to make a cake, but they can't agree on what flavor to make. When Tiger threatens to eat everybody if they don't do everything his way, his friends abandon him. When they show up again, they come bearing a gift: a chocolate cake (for throwing in his face, of course!)

The type is in cursive which can be a little hard to read, but this story cracked me up. The artwork is vibrant and more cartoony than realistic, which is just what this story calls for.

PreK-2.

[N · Rating 5 out of 5]

A tiger gets it's just desserts in this delightfully snarky tale of failed collaboration. For fans of Pierre.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delicious fun!

[Qboudica · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Funny,Cute,Cakey,nice Weird could never happen," says the little reviewer. "Unexpected ending," says the big person.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

the only thing to consider about this book if you're giving to a kid learning how to read is that it is in cursive.

[Marissa Elera · Rating 5 out of 5]

I laughed and laughed at the surprise ending and I know my kids will love it when I perform it at storytime.

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hysterical! But worthy of discussion amongst younger readers.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not really appropriate for a story time. It would kids the wrong ideas--but I find it funny for adults.

[Dee-Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun book about a tiger who wants a chocolate cake. Fun, easy, absurd quick story to read to kids.

[Jamie · Rating 1 out of 5]

My son picked this book out at the library and we read it today. What is this book trying to teach kids? If they're trying to teach kids to get even with someone you disagree with by throwing food at them, then they've hit the mark.
This book ended rather abruptly with the other characters throwing a cake at the tiger...that's it. No further explanation, no apologies from any of the characters for having a difference of opinion. Nope, just a smashed cake on the tiger's head.
To think this book is targeted at 3-6 year olds. Not okay.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This absurd book really tickled my fancy! Older kids would get it and laugh without explanation, but it is quite a simple story so it may not engage them like a more complex story would. Could likely be used to great effect in a classroom for conversation starting.

[Charmaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the ending I expected, that’s for sure, especially for a children’s book 😊

[Stacey · Rating 1 out of 5]

The animals were mean to each other...no resolution...just being mean...

[Amelia Bouman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is hilarious, with surprises on every page. Does not start or end in any kind of sensible way, and we‘re just here for it!

[Olivia · Rating 1 out of 5]

If trying to be funny this story missed the mark. Arguing and pranks, not the best message for young children.

[Gabriela Munoz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unhinged in the best way ✨

[Roben · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did not like this at all the first time through -- but after I thought on it a bit - it grew on me. Tiger is, after all, being a bully. Want to bake a cake? OK - but it has to be MY cake. Done exactly the way I want it. Or else -- I will eat you up. And the bully gets what he deserves - his just desserts, so to speak.

[Taylor]

One of the funniest picture books I've read recently. This would be a great tool for teaching dialogue as the story is made up only of dialogue which appears in word bubbles over the characters' heads. You could read the story and have students write and illustrate their own similar works. There's even a purple bear who says flour makes him sad.

[Clarissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book, but I think it was a little to angry for a library read aloud. All the animals want to make cakes out of foods they like, carrots, bones, fish except for the tiger who wants to make a chocolate cake. When the tiger insists on chocolate the other animals declare it revolting and throw their foods at the tiger, who threatens to eat them. Further mayhem ensues.

[Steffen Minner · Rating 2 out of 5]

Abrupt ending is sorta satisfying if you have that sense of humor.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Harsh. I suppose all children's books don't need happy/kind endings?

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite, but okay. MIGHT be fun to do during storytime with lots of different voices, but I don't LOVE the art. And I think the story is meh. So... not certain.

[Brittany · Rating 1 out of 5]

Illustrations: meh
Plot: double meh

Maybe this is a brand of humor that I just don't get, but even so, it wasn't accessible enough for me to even want to try.

[Jill · Rating 2 out of 5]

Weird illustrations and weird resolution to the problem.