Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Starred Review. Tiger is hungry and suggests to his comrades-Dog, Monkey, Rabbit, and Bear-that they make a cake. Tiger wants chocolate cake, which the others immediately reject; pooling their favorite flavors, they demand a "bone-banana-carrot-and-fish-cake!"¿ The discourse quickly devolves into insults ("You're revolting!"¿), threats ("I'll eat you!"¿) and-just when it looks like reconciliation is in the offing-classic slapstick. And nobody gets to eat any cake. It's a slip of a story, but de Monfried's (Dark Night) simple but highly expressive animal portraits, set against almost existentially blank spreads of shocking pink and dark red, establish an wonderfully oddball and unsentimental mood, while conveying intriguing glints of character. Dog announces he "hates"¿ sugar-what's up with that?-while Bear rejects a conventional cake and its ingredients by announcing "Flour makes me sad"¿ and striking a pouting, hands-behind-his-back pose that signals a backstory that we're probably better off not knowing. As for Tiger, his self-righteousness, frustration, and short fuse may remind some adult readers of none other than Louis C.K. Ages 2-up. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-This is a colorful romp of a picture book about a tiger and his friends who disagree over what kind of cake they should make. Tiger is fond of chocolate. Dog suggests a bone cake, Rabbit a carrot cake, Bear a fish cake, and Monkey a banana cake. They strongly disagree over what sounds appetizing and what would be revolting, and when things devolve into a food fight, Tiger roars, "If you carry on like this, I'LL EAT YOU!" The animals end up presenting him with the chocolate cake he wanted, even though the last panel shows them launching it at his head. Perhaps this story is not the best example of conflict resolution, but kids will find it funny. The bold cartoon art is easy to follow, and children will enjoy identifying the animals in the energetic and vividly illustrated scenes.-Sarah Wilsman, Kent Free Library, Kent, OH (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
When a tiger wants to make a cake, he and his friends fight over its ingredients with humorous (if naughty) results.Cartoon-style, vibrantly colored art complete with speech balloons introduces a dog that wants a bone cake, a bunny that wants a carrot cake, a teddy bear that wants a fish cake and a monkey that suggests a banana cake. Tiger insists on chocolate, but the others respond with disgust when he lists the necessary ingredients. "Well, what shall we make then?" the tiger reasonably asks. When the group suggests a "bone-banana-carrot-and-fish cake," the tiger's speech balloon adopts a pointy intensity, as its large script bellows, "NO WAY! That would be revolting!" Instead of talking things through, the group responds, "YOU'RE REVOLTING!" An all-out brawl ensues. The four animals fling their food choices at the tiger, and then the tiger threatens to eat them. It's unsurprising that they scurry away, leaving the tiger all alone. When they return, they come bearing the chocolate cake that adorns the book's jacket, and at first the tiger is pleasedbut then instead of eating the cake together, the other animals hurl it at the tiger, leaving readers with a vision of it just about to land on his striped head.There's no moral to this story, just irreverent fun. (Picture book. 3-5) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
