Chihiro Nakagawa

A team of colorfully-dressed people operates a variety of construction vehicles to make a special cake: dumping ingredients, cracking eggs, mixing, baking, turning out, and covering with whipped cream. A page spread late in the book reveals a surprise of scale: the construction workers are actually tiny, compared to the mother's hands as she picks up the cake and delivers it to the table for her child's birthday.

See also: The Giant Jam Sandwich

Summary: This book is about a group of toys who are using toy trucks to make a cake. The toys start with gathering all the ingredients for a cake and mixing them together. Then the toys pour the mixture in the pan, load the cake in the oven. While the cake is baking, the toys get to take a break! When the cake is done, the toys take the cake out of the oven and begin to decorate it using whipped cream, strawberries and a happy birthday sign. When the cake is all done, it gets brought out to show more the little boy for his birthday.

Argument: I thought this book was a great way of explaining a step-by-step process of making a cake. It goes through all the necessary actions someone must take when making a cake. I also liked the use of pictures and words that meant noises that were put in the book as well. I think these words made the book easier for kids to relate too because it shows the noise the machine would be making. I also liked how the author used toy machines and little people to make the cake. It is another aspect that kids will be able to relate to easily and connect with. It makes the concept of making a cake more interesting rather than if it is just about a person who is making a cake. show less

On the title page a mother places an order for a cake which must be very good. Immediately a hoard of tiny workers don their primary colored helmets and boots. With the assistance of large yellow construction machines they gather the giant ingredients, transport them to the mixing bowl, with two machines break the eggs, and mix the cake with giant mixing implements on the yellow construction graders. When mixed and baked, they decorate the cake with frosting delivered by cement trucks and show more add strawberry garnish. Finally the cake is delivered into the mother's hands who brings it to the birthday boy. Delightful and especially appealing to toddlers who are fascinating by trucks and construction equipment. show less

A host of small people with construction equipment make a cake, which is served to a boy for his birthday. Whimsical and simple.