Sometimes Cake
Age 2+
Picture Books
For anyone who has ever wished for a party every day of the year, this is a story about finding your own reasons to have cake.
Christopher Robin had Pooh. Calvin had Hobbes. Audrey has Lion. This is the story of two friends learning the joy of celebrating the every day because sometimes it's important to enjoy things like Tuesdays, coconuts, orange, purple, and lions.
Creators
Edwina Wyatt is an award-winning children's book author with a positively delightful picture book voice. She grew up in Sydney, Australia and trained as a lawyer and high school teacher. She now lives on the south coast of New South Wales and writes stories for little (and not so little) people. Her debut novel was The Secrets of Magnolia Moon.
Tamsin Ainslie is an award-winning, internationally published illustrator. She was born and educated in the UK, travelled and moved a lot during her teens and twenties and ultimately settled in Murwillumbah, NSW, where she lives with her two daughters.
Reviews
Sometimes Cake is a sweet tale about the joy of special days that are worth blowing up balloons and scattering confetti for, but is also a good reminder that sometimes we should just be grateful for pockets of time that can be spent with friends… ideal for preschoolers
Books and Publishing
Sometimes Cake is picture-book perfection at its scrumptious best! If this book were a cake, I’d gobble it up again and again and again. In every way, it reads a treat. The text is simple and effortless without a word misplaced, and the soft water-colour illustrations bring a playful, whimsical feel to the story.
Readings
Highly recommended. I love the sparse text, brimming with subtle overtones, encouraging children to be more aware of how their friends are feeling.
ReadPlus
A charming story… The illustrations are equally delightful as the story itself.
Blog of Dad
picture book perfection… and should be enjoyed over and over again
PictureBookBC Instagram
Trust me, you want to add this to your collection or your library list!
little_smiths_play - instagram
This story by Wyatt endeavours to show little minds that not every day has to be over the top, and that our ordinary days are just as important and are also worth celebrating! The watercolour illustrations by Tamsin Ainslie were absolutely stunning.I am so excited for this story to join my growing array of picture books on my classroom bookshelf! This story by Wyatt endeavours to show little minds that not every day has to be over the top, and that our ordinary days are just as important and are also worth celebrating! The watercolour illustrations by Tamsin Ainslie were absolutely stunning! I am so excited for this story to join my growing array of picture books on my classroom bookshelf!
I Dream of All the Books - Instagram
This delightful picture book celebrates friendship and finding joy in the everyday… A perfect text to practise the reading skills of making connections and inferring..
Reading Time
This is a sweet story about friendship, celebration and what it looks like to show up for the people—or lions—in your life. Right from the title, Sometimes Cake is yummy and appealing; who wouldn’t want a story about cake? But cake is just one part of this charming picture book.Audrey’s friend, Lion, loves festivities. He always seems to be surrounded by balloons, confetti and party hats. But one day, when Audrey’s playmate seems pensive and quiet, Audrey knows it’s her turn to find something to celebrate. Edwina Wyatt and Tamsin Ainslie offer a sweet story about friendship, celebration and what it looks like to show up for the people—or lions—in your life.The best word for Ainslie’s illustrations is soft. Muted colors and a cream-colored background create a warm, gentle world for these characters. Ainslie’s lines, too, are soft and sketchy, devoid of harsh edges. Little Audrey, with her untidy hair and mismatched socks, and big Lion, with his rosy cheeks and friendly expressions, make a fetching pair. Balloons, baking supplies, toys and streamers are strewn around many scenes, adding delightful disorder and perfectly embodying the book’s playful, imaginative tone. We don’t know much about Audrey and Lion, but Ainslie makes them and their world immediately likable and welcoming. Even the scene where Lion seems lonely and sad is tempered by the presence of tranquil trees and flowers.Wyatt forgoes fancy literary flourishes for simple, brief and approachable text. She also makes excellent use of repetition, adding predictability that will engage the youngest of readers. Wyatt’s plainspoken writing has a unique sense of humor that will leave adults smiling at Audrey and Lion’s childlike logic, as when Audrey finds Lion, wearing a yellow paper crown adorned with orange pompoms, in the middle of making a yellow and orange pennant banner. “What are you celebrating?” she asks. “Orange mostly,” replies Lion, then adds, “Also yellow.”Calm, kind and earnest, Sometimes Cake is an easy book to like. It is fun, cheery and not too rambunctious for bedtime or other quiet moments. It’s also a lovely introduction to the concept of empathy, especially for the littlest readers, and may inspire a few “regular day” celebrations. But what makes Sometimes Cake a true gem is its accessible, heartfelt message: Be the friend who shows up with cake. Bring confetti to the party. Pay attention to those around you. Sometimes it’s just Tuesday, but even Tuesdays deserve cake.
Book Page
