I Love Cake!: Starring Rabbit, Porcupine, and Moose – A Hilarious Picture Book for Kids (Ages 4-8) About Birthday Parties and Friendship

by Tammi Sauer, Angie Rozelaar (Illustrator)

Bestselling author Tammi Sauer’s characters are both lovable and mischievous. In I Love Cake!, the first picture book featuring irrepressible Moose, orderly Rabbit, and fun-loving Porcupine, Rabbit plans a fabulous birthday party with fun activities and a delicious cake. Porcupine and Moose come to enjoy Rabbit’s big day, but everything goes south when impulsive Moose loses control of his appetite!

With hilarious bits of dialogue throughout, I Love Cake! is not only a dynamic read-aloud, it works as an inspiration for a short play. Themes of friendship and forgiveness come through on every page—and the birthday theme makes I Love Cake! an excellent choice for a birthday gift!

Genres: Picture Books, Friendship, Animals, Childrens, Humor, Food, Storytime

40 pages, Hardcover

First published May 3, 2016

About the author

Tammi Sauer is the author of Cowboy Camp (Sterling, 2005), Chicken Dance (Sterling, 2009), Mostly Monsterly (Paula Wiseman/S&S, 2010), the forthcoming Princess-in-Training (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt), and something that's currently Top Secret.

Tammi and her family live in Oklahoma with one dog, two geckos, and a tank full of random fish.

Reviews

[Heather McC · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Moose's appetite gets the better of him - he finds a way to make things right with his friends.

[Kaethe · Rating 5 out of 5]

The library must put it out for Valentines. Anyway, I love cake, and I like a story in which reparations are paid for a grievous wrong. One should be and say "sorry" but it's much more important to fix the problem one created. It's also important to learn that one's apology need not be accepted. The lessons I was taught as a child were concerned only with observing the proper forms. Victim advocacy has made our world a better place. It'll be a better pace still when no one accepts a "sorry" that isn't backed up with an acknowledgement of what the wrong was and clear efforts to improve in the future and to solve the problem.
Less hypocrisy, more justice.

Library copy

[Olivia S · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story is pretty funny. Moose just loves cake so much he can't help but eat it all up. The action part of the story is just okay, but the introductions to the animals and the illustrations are hilarious. A bit long for little ones, who also might not understand the humour. 4+

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love cake but I love reading this book even more!

[Mackenzie Myers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this to my cat she really enjoyed it!

[Helene · Rating 2 out of 5]

Heard at storytime. My preschooler kept turning to me, "Why he ate all the cake and didn't share?" and "Why don't they have any more?" I don't know why, kiddo.

Turns out, the moose makes more. Surprise...?

It's kind of a meh book.

[Baby Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally written for The Baby Bookworm. Visit us for new picture books reviews daily!

Hello, everyone! Today’s book is I Love Cake!: Starring Rabbit, Porcupine And Moose, written by Tammi Sauer and illustrated by Angie Rozelaar, a fun yet sweet story about learning how to be selfless.

Rabbit, Porcupine and Moose are the best of friends. They do everything together, and enjoy each other’s company immensely. So for Rabbit’s birthday, they are looking forward to having fun together at her birthday party. Rabbit is excited to throw a party, Porcupine is excited to see his friends and play games, and Moose is excited for cake. But when the party begins, Moose becomes so distracted by the delicious-smelling cake that he neglects his friends, and when the time comes to blow out the candles, the friends are shocked to find that Moose has impulsively eaten the whole thing without them! Rabbit is brokenhearted and Porcupine is furious, despite Moose’s attempts at excuses and apologies. They ask him to leave the party, and Moose realizes that putting his wishes ahead of his friends’ happiness was selfish. But how can he make it up to them?

This was a really great story, and it left me with a smile. The happy-go-lucky friends are adorable, the plot is meaningful yet moves at a good pace, and the lesson is a classic one. I liked that Moose put a lot of effort into trying to make up for his actions; it shows that it’s important to not only apologize, but to try and make things right. The art is adorable, and uses a pleasing color scheme, charming character design and some great visual tidbits to support the story. The length was perfect, and JJ definitely enjoyed it. This is a fun book with a fantastic lesson, and it’s Baby Bookworm approved!

Be sure to check out The Baby Bookworm for more reviews!

[Rose Rosetree · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sure kids will love books about loving sweets. Where are the grownups to say STOP?

On the bright side, this book introduces three characters that kids can love:

* Expressive Moose

* Dignified Rabbit

* And the kiddest of all three kids, Porcupine

RATING THIS BOOK

Where is the responsibility of the author and publisher?

Do they not know about the health consequences of eating sugar and white flour?

Diabetes Is One Health Consequence

To quote UTSouthwestern Medical Center, from an article published in 2023:

About 37 million people in the U.S. have this progressive condition, which can lead to heart attacks, stroke, kidney disease, blindness, amputations, and even erectile dysfunction.

An additional 96 million have pre-diabetes, which is the gray zone where the disease could be reversed or controlled but many people are unaware they have it.

Obesity Is Another Health Consequence

To quote a TCT.md article from 2024:

US Obesity Epidemic Continues to Skyrocket, With No End in Sight

“The current prevalence of overweight and obesity in the US are extraordinarily high and rising, presenting a significant public health concern,” GBD study investigator Xiaochen Dai, PhD (Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, Seattle, WA), told TCTMD in an email. “Forecasts to 2050 highlight an even more concerning trend.”

In 25 years, it’s estimated that nearly 213 million adults and 43 million children and adolescents will have overweight or obesity. Put another way, one out of every three children and adolescents, as well as two out of every three adults, will have had a BMI exceeding 25.

[Terry]

Parent Perspective: Young readers will enjoy the characters and the silliness that the illustrations bring out. They will love that they know who ate the cake before Rabbit and Porcupine do, too. The story is mostly driven by dialogue, which creates a great opportunity to change voices and use inflection to convey the emotions behind the words.

But does our reviewer recommend it> Get the answer in the full review.

[Camille]

A friendship picture book story featuring a moose, rabbit and porcupine. Porcupine and moose go to rabbit's house to help celebrate her birthday. Moose gets ahead of the party agenda and eats the cake by himself. Will moose be able to make it up to his friends?
You can pair this book with The Busy Beaver or Up the Creek by Nicholas Oldland, both friendship stories that feature a moose. Did I mention I like moose?!
The illustrations are charming, cartoony and colorful and they make me smile, especially the inside back cover that is a spread of different cakes with moose track going through.

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the middle of the woods three animal friends are celebrating a birthday. One of the animals only focuses on the dessert while the others play games. When their favorite dessert is gone the animals wait for the one who ate it to make things right again. Love the forest animal theme and the animals personality and antics as the ending draws near. Colorful pictures and words to read all over the pages for the kids to find and read.

[Tori · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rabbit plans a party for her birthday and invites Porcupine and Moose. But then Moose rudely eats all the cake. How will he make it up to his friends?
This one is a great opportunity to do silly voices. Additionally, some good discussion points here about why it's bad to lie to your friends. This could be a good one to try with the pre-k group.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a cute book. It also had a great lesson to the story. Three friends get together to celebrate Rabbit's birthday and something mysterious happens to the cake. Moose ate it, and his reason for it is hilarious. He does make it up to his friends in a big way. Good job Moose.

[Valerie Doherty · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are some adorable characters in this book! Rabbit, Porcupine, and Moose are preparing to celebrate a birthday. However, something happens to the cake. There are some excellent messages of the power of friendship and forgiveness in this sweet tale.

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very cute and it teaches about thinking of others first instead of just being selfish. I'd say It's a good classroom book sharing time that teaches a good lesson.

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love cake! I love moose, or moosen this is a story about being friends, admitting to your wrong doing, and making up ...and well ...cake. Great message, nice pictures.....CAKE!!

I bought cake a week ago because I was feeling sorry for myself, it is just me and my roommate (aka my sister) and she has had some and I have had some and there is one piece left...just waiting...waiting for someone to eat it....It might go bad before we get to it...CAKE!

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a literally sweet book about Moose, Porcupine, Rabbit, and a cake. It's a fun and funny book I could read for story hour.

[Nanci Booher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rabbit, Porcupine and Moose were best friends, but when Moose makes a mistake, however will he fix it? Great illustrations with a fun story about friendship and forgiveness.

[Nan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute book about sharing and admitting your mistakes.

[Karla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adequate

Friendship story

Not a huge fan

Illustrations are colorful

Length is appropriate

Not many new vocabulary words

[Valerie Bowler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a delightful little book! I too love Cake!

[Kathleen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Some books just fall flat, and this was one. three friends...one the natural leader....one the goofball and the other just there. Tries to give a lesson about sharing and friendship.

[Rebecca Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute book if you had 3-4 readers in a storytime. The cake disappears and the friend that took too much has to find a way to make it up to his cake loving friends.

[Gretchen · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much heartwarming fun! A tale of friendship, making amends, and forgiveness wrapped up in the cutest package imaginable.

[Tara Olson Kazda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good tale of friendship, arguments, making up all surrounding the eating of a whole cake. I get it, Moose. I get it.

[Chrissy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Storytime: Moose, Cake, Friends

[Kirsti Parsons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Problem solving, friendship, an silly!

[Miss Janis the Storytime Lady · Rating 4 out of 5]

good story. Funny and plenty to talk about in the pictures and what's going on in the story.

[Beth Vredenburg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute book with humor for more fluent readers -all about sharing.

[Viviane Elbee · Rating 4 out of 5]

The kids voted to give this book 4 stars, or maybe 4.5. Rabbit, porcupine and moose are funny.

I liked the illustrations and the facial expressions too.

The storyline itself was fairly predictable.