I love cakes, who doesn’t? My favourites cake is London Cheesecake (although I can’t seem to get them anywhere anymore, especially here in Manchester). Whenever I do buy cakes, they seems to disappear quite quickly, and I’m nearly positive that it can’t possibly be me eating them that quickly (I reckon I must have cake stealing penguins in the house). Sound preposterous doesn’t it, but after reading Where Has All The Cake Gone? By Andrew Sanders I’m starting to think that I could be correct. It could be very conceivable that criminal child abducting, cake stealing penguins are eating it all – what do you think?
Anyway, back to the book. Where Has All The Cake Gone? is written by Andrew Sanders and illustrated by Aysha Awwad. It is a hilarious picture book story for children about a missing cake and one boy’s extremely deliciously imagination tall explanation as to how it went missing.
In Where Has All the Cake Gone? we are whisked into the kitchen where a dastardly crime has been committed. The cake has been eaten and all that’s left of the once-majestic Victoria sponge are crumbs! And the culprit might just be a band of globe-trotting penguins!
After discovering the crumbs and missing cake, Dad turns to his son Albert for some answers. Albert claims his innocent, but does come up with an answer as to who the criminal culprit was. He concocts a story that is so preposterous, could it be true? He claims that a group of criminal penguins kidnapped him, took him to France on a steam train while trapped in a giant jar of marmalade, before having a snowball fight with some kangaroos and then celebrating by eating the cake, leaving nothing behind but crumbs. And then obviously returns him home again.
Overall, Where Has All the Cake Gone? is a scrumptiously silly romp, an hilarious tall tale that children will laugh out loud to – a cake mystery really worth devouring. It really celebrates the power of imagination (although some might say that it promotes lying).
Being a picture book, that means illustrations, lots of them, to help tell the tale. It has been superbly illustrated in a fun bright and colourful way by Aysha Awwad. The illustrations really help young children visualise Albert’s imaginative story, making his tale jump out of the pages and giving it life (although fingers crossed not too much life as we need to keep those cake-loving penguins at bay).
Aysha Awwad’s bold and colourful artwork leaps off each page, perfectly capturing Albert’s outrageous imagination. From wide-eyed penguins in tutus to kangaroos hurling snowballs, every page invites readers to linger – and to spot a new detail on a second (or third!) read. The bright and fun illustrations really bring this tall tale to life!
With its 32 page story, featuring large, friendly, easy-to-read text and wonderful illustrations, this picture book is perfect for preschoolers and early readers aged from 3 years old. Its playful premise encourages young listeners to join in the detective work, practicing listening skills and sparking conversations about truth, creativity, and maybe even cake etiquette.
This is a wonderfully warm and funny picture book that young readers will love. Readers will smile and giggle along with Albert’s imaginative penguin explanation. But adults be warned, the next time that you buy or make a cake, have a hunt around for any pesky pilfering penguins that might be lingering in the kitchen before you leave it alone, they might just be up to no good.
Where Has All the Cake Gone? is a fun light-hearted read featuring a wild imagination, cake and criminally-minded penguins.
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £12.99 (Hardback) / £7.99 (Paperback)
Available to buy from Amazon here.
