#BOOKREVIEW 26
CHILDREN’S PICTURE BOOK REVIEW AS A WRITER AND A READER
Title: Rude Cakes
Author & Illustrator: Rowboat Watkins
Genre: Children’s Picture Book
Target Reader: 2 – 5 years
Rude Cake is written by Rowboat Watkins. The book earned Rowboat The Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Honor, among others. The New York Times described his Most Marshmallows as “exquisite,” and Pete With No Pants as “huge fun.” Rowboat, a former Maurice Sendak Fellow, lives with his family in Brooklyn.
The book Rude Cakes opens with a cake being unkind and mean to friends and parents. It draws comparison with real life incidents where some children don’t use kind words like Thank You or Please. They take things without asking and refuse to share with others. They don’t listen to their parents and don’t realise that their actions hurt others. We all will find one rude cake in our lives who would have either bullied us or tried to make us feel small.
The second half of the book takes us into a Giant Cyclopses world which is opposite to the Rude Cake’s. It’s a place where everyone is nice to each other. They show love and respect by waiting in line or by sharing things or by using kind words.
As an author, I am impressed by the creative skills of Rowboat Watkins. He has presented a strong message of rude vs kind by using cake as a character. Most children like cake and it’s a smart strategy to deliver complex message to the reader through a character that is loved. It opens them to receive the message and makes the writer’s job little easier.
The choice of title, Rude Cake, is another genius. In everyone’s mind a cake is always sweet, delicious, and eye pleasing, reading rude cake as a title instantly attracts the attention and it increases the saleability quotient of a book, a dream of every author.
However, the book could be critiqued for being somewhat simplistic in its characterization. The “rude cake” is presented as entirely bad, while the Cyclopses are entirely good, leaving little scope for readers to see the personal growth. Some readers might wish for a clearer transformation in the cake’s behaviour by the end, maybe a moment of self-awareness or redemption that solidifies the moral.
Additionally, while the illustrations are bold and playful, the colour palette and visual density may feel overwhelming for some young readers. The abundance of visual detail can occasionally distract from the story’s emotional core.
Overall, Rude Cake is a delightful, witty and meaningful picture book that succeeds in teaching children about kindness and respect in a fun and imaginative way. The book is an all-time classic because we live in a world where we have to teach and remind our children about humility.
I am an author, teacher, and holistic wellness coach with a deep passion for children’s growth and self-worth. Reviewing children’s books inspired me to write my own picture book, Stand Up for Yourself: Brando Tells Dory.
The story reflects my belief that every child deserves acceptance—not only from others but also from within. Through Dory’s journey of finding her voice and Brando’s support, young readers learn that standing up for themselves and asking for help are powerful acts of self-respect.
At its heart, my work reminds children—and adults alike—that every voice matters, and every child has the right to say, “I matter.”
Click here to get a copy for your child
About A New You:
We all deserve to have everything in our life exactly the way we want it.The first step begins with believing that every moment is bringing an opportunity to be a new you. As a founder, I provide tools to elevate all dimensions of your life and I teach you the art of writing to reach to your true potential.
Vandana Sehgal | Founder – A New You
