Review - I Really Want the Cake

I Really Want the Cake
by Simon Philip
illustrated by Lucia Gaggiotti
Date: 2017
Publisher: Orchard Books
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library

There's a smell I can't ignore.
It's wafting through the kitchen door.
It's time for me to find out more.
I think it might be cake.

How do you resist the most amazing cake ever? Especially when your mum has left a note saying that you MUST NOT eat the cake?

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Sometimes, you just really want cake.

That's the dilemma facing the little girl in this story. Her mom has baked a cake, and it smells delicious. Try as she might, though, the kid just can't put the treat out of her mind. She tries to distract herself, to no avail. Eventually, she gives in. Just a little lick should be okay... right? Well, not exactly. And then she's faced with a whole new dilemma!

The rhyming text has near-perfect meter, which is a refreshing change. The story is told clearly, and there's a nice message about taking responsibility for your actions. The illustrations are cute; the little dog who's the girl's partner in crime is a neat motif that runs throughout the book.

Overall, I'd recommend this one to readers looking for strong rhyming picture books.

Also to people who love cake.

Quotable moment:

Premise: 4/5
Meter: 5/5
Writing: 4/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 4.14 out of 5