A Cake for Herbie

Lottie's World

by Petra Mathers

Share a poem and a piece of cake with Lottie and Herbie!

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Poetry

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Petra Mathers is an American children's author and artist. She was born in 1945 in Todtmoos, Germany, and immigrated to the USA as a young woman. Mathers worked as a painter before becoming a children's book illustrator. One of her best-known creations is her series of picture-books devoted to the adventures of Lottie the chicken and her best friend, Herbie the duck. She is a four-time winner of The New York Times prize for Best Illustrated Children's Book, and was awarded the Ezra Jack Keats Medal for her first book, Maria Theresa. She lives in Astoria, Oregon. (source: Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

These Lottie stories have an extra bit of creative originality that sets them apart. A blurb would not do them justice. Don't start with this one, though, as it's a bit confusing to be dropped into the world with no intro.

[Zoë · Rating 5 out of 5]

lovely. community is beautiful

[Maddie Gerber · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book up because well I love cake, so it seemed like an appropriate book. This book was so cute, and also can teach the kids about poetry and that you need to put effort into your work in order to get something you want. This would be a good book to read if kids have no motivation or if you teach poetry.

[Ashley Allen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cake for herbie is a great book to use when students are working on writing. In the book chidren will see the ups and down that Herbie has writing. You as a teacher can work with the children on writing strategies to use when writing. This book can also be used to talk to children about how not everyone likes the same thing as each other. Herbie's poem does not do so well at the contest but the people he met loves his poem. The children can learn to get different opinions on their work and to not get down about their work.

[The Book Maven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Herbie is a talented wordsmith, and decided to enter a local poetry contest to win a big, beautiful cake. But on the night of his contest, his best friend Lottie is too sick to come, and what's worse, poor Herbie is mocked off the stage! All is not lost, and before the night is through, Herbie will find a group of friends that will know and appreciate his talents. It's a comforting, encouraging little read, especially for children who are bullied, or are loners or misfits.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. Found it and another of Mathers' today with a student who is working on reading with his grandkids.

I love cake, I love the people/ducks/creatures in this book.

Fitting in is fluid at best.

[Taylor Brune · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Cake for Herbie would be a great book to read as an introduction to a writing lesson. You could make a lesson that incorporate the book, having both reading and writing involved in the lesson. I loved it.

[Dani Kappel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Herbie writes a poem to try to win a cake. After getting booed off the stage he finds some new friends. This book is good for phonological awareness and letter knowledge. I'd recommend it for ages 3-5.

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a cute story about Herbie and Lottie, best friends.
Herbie wants to win a poetry contest so he can win the prize - a cake. He decides to write a poem about food from A to Z. The contest doesn't go very well, he gets heckled off the stage, so he ends up in a little restaurant where things go much better for him.