2016 Ezra Jack Keats Book Award – New Illustrator Honor Who knew that cakes were so rude?! In this deliciously entertaining book, a not-so-sweet cake—who never says please or thank you or listens to its parents—gets its just desserts. Mixing hilarious text and pictures, Rowboat Watkins, a former Sendak fellow, has cooked up a laugh-out- loud story that can also be served up as a delectable discussion starter about manners or bullying, as it sweetly reminds us all that even the rudest cake can learn to change its ways. PreS-Gr 1—In this amusing and downright bizarre tale, readers learn about cakes whose dispositions aren't nearly as sweet as their flavoring. One bratty confection, who never waits his turn and refuses to obey his parents, finally gets his comeuppance when a cyclops reaches into his bedroom window one night and eagerly scoops him up. Slyly subverting expectations, the author explains that cyclops don't eat cakes—they enjoy wearing them as hats. But cyclops are far more considerate, and the one-eyed creature quickly returns the dessert to his home, resulting in a kinder, gentler cake. Children learning to say, "Please" and "Thank you" will delight in the over-the-top rude behavior here, such as the cake exploding with anger at a tiny marshmallow and chocolate muffin. The use of dynamic, large fonts for emphasis, hilarious dialogue conveyed through speech bubbles, and the exaggerated expressions and responses of characters add further to the zany flavor of this story. Digitally created, with pencil and ink, the cartoonlike illustrations match the tone of the text, quirk for quirk. The strange creations depicted here have an adorably grotesque feel: the cakes are multilayered concoctions perched precariously on tiny peglike legs, while the monsters are toothy, big-eyed, hairy ovals. Watkins has whipped up a truly surreal story, crammed with hilarious details and gently laced with an important lesson; pair this one with Steve Antony's Please Mr. Panda (Scholastic, 2015) for a fun primer on manners. VERDICT This entertaining offering will make for a riotous storytime.—Mahnaz Dar, School Library Journal "A truly surreal story, crammed with hilarious details and gently laced with an important lesson."--School Library Journal, starred review "A truly surreal story, crammed with hilarious details and gently laced with an important lesson."--School Library Journal, starred review "A truly surreal story, crammed with hilarious details and gently laced with an important lesson."--School Library Journal, starred review "Packed with hilarious details and grin-bringing surprises - and it works in a lovely message, too."--Design Mom "Packed with hilarious details and grin-bringing surprises - and it works in a lovely message, too."--Design Mom "Packed with hilarious details and grin-bringing surprises - and it works in a lovely message, too."--Design Mom "Kids will be asking-oh so nicely-to 'Read it again,please!'"-Booklist, starred review "Kids will be asking-oh so nicely-to 'Read it again,please!'"-Booklist, starred review "Kids will be asking-oh so nicely-to 'Read it again,please!'"-Booklist, starred review "In very few words and completely without preaching, Rude Cakes lets us laugh our way through a lesson on social skills and self reflection."-Wink Books "In very few words and completely without preaching, Rude Cakes lets us laugh our way through a lesson on social skills and self reflection."-Wink Books "In very few words and completely without preaching, Rude Cakes lets us laugh our way through a lesson on social skills and self reflection."-Wink Books 2016 Ezra Jack Keats Book Award honor winner 2016 Ezra Jack Keats Book Award honor winner 2016 Ezra Jack Keats Book Award honor winner "Rude Cakes is a classic cautionary tale that also manages to be original, subversive, and very funny."--Sergio Ruzzier, author of A Letter for Leo "Rude Cakes is a classic cautionary tale that also manages to be original, subversive, and very funny."--Sergio Ruzzier, author of A Letter for Leo "Rude Cakes is a classic cautionary tale that also manages to be original, subversive, and very funny."--Sergio Ruzzier, author of A Letter for Leo "Makes a familiar message about thoughtfulness fresh and tasty."-Publishers Weekly, starred review "Makes a familiar message about thoughtfulness fresh and tasty."-Publishers Weekly, starred review "Makes a familiar message about thoughtfulness fresh and tasty."-Publishers Weekly, starred review "The best picture-book debut of 2015 is Rowboat Watkins' Rude Cakes. "--Phil Nel, Nine Kinds of Pie and The Niblings "The best picture-book debut of 2015 is Rowboat Watkins' Rude Cakes. "--Phil Nel, Nine Kinds of Pie and The Niblings "The best picture-book debut of 2015 is Rowboat Watkins' Rude Cakes. "--Phil Nel, Nine Kinds of Pie and The Niblings "This witty, original debut... with adorably scruffy art and a clever, gag-filled story, Watkins brings a refreshing irreve