Marigold Bakes a Cake

Marigold Bakes a Cake is a charming, funny story with clever illustrations and details. The end papers feature different cakes presumably baked by Marigold the Cat, and the cover pages feature Marigold’s house, which looks suspiciously like a cake.

Meticulous Marigold bakes every Monday ALONE. It’s so he can concentrate. But one day a flock of unruly birds interrupts him. Malbrough’s watercolor illustrations are rich, expansive, and convey action well. There is a lot going on with the text as well–including different fonts, colors, and sizes for emphasis. Slight rhyming and alliteration add to the fun. However, the effect is not busy; it is a detailed story that will captivate children and adults alike.

This book would make an excellent read-aloud or story-time choice. I also appreciate that Marigold is not forced to befriend the birds after their activities, which is a refreshing change from most children’s picture book plotlines.