Sunday Sweets: Reading Rocks
May 31, 2009 This past week I read a story on how rapper Kanye West is a "proud non-reader" and, despite the fact that he recently wrote a 52-page book of "Kanye-isms" that he would like you to buy and read yourself, he has "no respect" for books. Or to put it in his own words,
That's good, Kanye, since it's a right pain to get a book to even hold a pen, much less autograph itself.
Anyhoo, after banging my head against the desk and weeping for future generations, I decided that today we should celebrate those authors and illustrators who made (and make) reading so much fun during our early years.
Remember The Very Hungry Caterpillar
[swooning] Just lookit those teensy little feet! And how perfectly the greens swirl together!
.Here's a side view:
Love that big orange nose. (There's another WTWTA Sweet here, too.)Here are a few that look like the book itself:
I like how the curtain goes from 2D to 3D - very nice.Zita H. found this next one on Cake Central, but she didn't say by which baker. Let me know who I should credit if you recognize it:
I especially like how the "book" looks a little careworn - as if it's been read many times. I'm going to give the baker the benefit of the doubt and assume that's intentional. ;)
Here's some more Dr. Seuss, this time courtesy of Debbie Does Cakes:
Amazing.
I was hoping we'd have some Golden Books represented today, and luckily Hey You delivered with this Poky Little Puppy inspired cutie:
This was made by her friend Stacey, and you can see more pictures of it and the party here.
I've had this Babar
I love everything: the colors, the outlining, the garland... just exquisite.
And finally, how about a little love for Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit?
He looks like felt, doesn't he? That's some gorgeous figure modeling!(By Cheryl of Heavenly Confections.)
Reader Comments (208)
WOW! How awesome! I fell in love with all of these. How amazing that something like that can be created with cake, fondant, and icing!
Sweeeeet.
~Amy B.
They are all amazing! I especially love the Peter Rabbit.. it is just so very pretty!
WV: Chant... let's all chant together " We love Cake Wrecks"!
As the Literacy Coach at an elementary school, I am appalled by Kanye West's statement. Thank you, Jen, for fighting back! Gorgeous cakes!!!
Flawless! Absolutely flawless, one and all. Those books are favorites of my son's and most were favorites of mine. The Very Hungry Caterpillar has to be my favorite and a masterpiece of cupcake-dom. Thank you, ma'am for these show stoppers.
wow! I read this blog every day fearing and hoping that a cake from the bakery I work at will be on it! I'm so pleased that my friend's good night moon cake is on a sunday sweets! what a pleasant sunday surprise!
-jenny from the night kitchen.
I never ever want to here him talk about books again! That's just so .....yeah I'm not even going there.
The cakes are gorgeous! I adore the Seuss books cakes and the Good Night Moon for its curtain.
But that Poke puppy. Wow. 0-0 The pup itself is just amazing!
Reading does rock. I loved all of those books... and cake to celebrate them is so much sweeter. :)
The bibliophile in me loved this week's Sunday sweets so much. Thank you!
Its so sad to me that Kanye, who is a very talented artist, isn't open to other forms of art, like literature. And although he is entitled to his opinion I know many students (I teach) who will probably hear his comments and think as he does. But don't fear, I do know MANY students who I have to make put their novels away in class b/c they need to pay attention to the lesson! (Its always hard to tell them to stop reading!!)
On a less disappointing note, I LOVED this post and my favorite was the Beatrice Potter cake at the end! I am going to send the link to my mom since she is a children's librarian and would also love this post! Thank you!!
I LOVE those cakes. Although I must say my favorite is the Peter rabbit cake. I still have mine in storage. :)
Wow, these bring back memories :)
Oh, those are so amazing!!!
Kanye West sounds like a real moron.
These are adorable! I love love love them.
I think the main thing to remember is that Kanye is a VERY arrogant individual to begin with. If it detracts attention from him, he doesn't like it. I will admit that I was FURIOUS when I saw Best Week Ever on VH1 and they were discussing it, but on the plus side, most of the press seems to be treating it as a joke.
Times like this I'm grateful for books like Twilight. I may not like said books, but they DEFINITELY got more people reading.
That said, can I pretty please have that Beatrix Potter cake? *puppy eyes* Peter Rabbit!
I hope Kanye West dies in a fire that is somehow caused by books (for the irony). Maybe, he could... I can't think of a way to do this without burning the books. Although we could use second hand copies of The Da Vinci Code.
Books made of cake? Heaven! A love of books is one of the best things you can give a child and who wouldn't love one of these books? The Dr. Seuss cakes are a work of art and Peter Rabbit looks too good to eat.
My kids are all book addicts and loved the adorable cakes! At least the kids who like Kanye will be forced to go into a bookstore to get his book!
Kanye West has to be the biggest friggin idiot ever. I think he can't possibly say something to make me dislike him more...but then EVERY TIME he opens his mouth, he proves that he can. Ugh.
Anyway, those are AMAZING cakes! I want them all!!!
Another Peter Rabbit lover here.
This reminds me of the International Edible Books Festival. Although my guess is that most places that hold it generate wreckitude, not sweets :).
An example of the event, with a slightly different take on Peter Rabbit: http://www.loganberrybooks.com/edible-books-2009.html
Moron is an understatement!
Love the cakes.
Regular reader but first-time commenter here. This may be my favourite Sunday Sweets post ever! I love the Beatrix Potter cake! That was unbelievable!
hmm well kayne had better hoped kids can read its the only way they will understand what he's saying and rapping about!and as a 24 year old i have read all of these books as a child and love them all-they are just beautiful
~sam of Sam's Baby Creations
Ugh - Kanye is such a tool. I wish he would just go away.
Love the cakes... makes me want to go to the library, but being Sunday, they are closed :/
Sentimentally adorable.
Oh, oh oh! All my childhood favorites. I still remember the family friends who introduced me to Babar. I'd say something about Kanye but it probably wouldn't make it past Jen, lol.
"You may have tangible wealth untold,
Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold.
Richer than I you can never be,
I had a mother who read to me."
The Fox in Sox... WOW. That's awesome.
WV: extrict. extract's parents.
I LOVE the Pokey Little Puppy cake!
I want that cake's autograph!
Thank you. Those are beautiful cakes, but I love the sentiment behind them even more. As a school librarian, I love all children's books. Thank you for helping to spread the message to read to our kids!
Omigosh, the cakes were AMAZING!!! I loved the Peter Rabbit and Babar cakes, although I've never read The Hungry Caterpillar. Anyways, I am an avid reader, and I am familiar with Kanye West's attitude as it is growing (although I have to say, many people aren't quite as ironic...) in society, so this was a great and enjoyable Sunday Sweets topic. Thank you so much for including it!!!
I loved the Poky Little Puppy as a kid, and that cake is just amazing! They're all gorgeous, but that one blew me away.
Scrolling down, it was like "that's my favourite". "No! That's gotta be my favourite." "No, this one, for sure." "No..."
I can't believe someone who has access to so many people could say such a horrible thing about reading. Reading is vital. Shame on Kanye! Shame!
Those cakes are awesome. I especially love the Peter Rabbit one. <3
Don't worry--there's hope for future generations! My son is 2 and a half, and is the only toddler I know of who you can take to Toys R Us just to pick up a jumbo box of baby wipes and he doesn't care. Then head across the parking lot to Barnes & Noble and he pitches a screaming hissy fit because you didn't get him a book. I'm thinking it might be time to pick up some more Dr. Seuss books.
It looks like there is a scrape on the side of the Babar cake. How sad...
I'm proud to say that I own *almost* all of those books. Now if only I owned all of those cakes.... or even one of them.
wv: quism. Next time you see Kanye on the street, quism to see how integi...inteleg... smart he isn't.
I love the children's classics. And you'll be happy to know, I have 8 kids all of whom have inherited my love of books. I read peter rabbit to them last night :)
Oh I love this blog! It is part of my morning routine now. Anyways the Dr. Seuss cake (one fish , two fish ) is by someone named loli. They did an excellent job on it!
-Shannon P.
Kanye might like to start with Fox in Socks. I think it's about at his level.
Angie (from over at www.HalfAssedKitchen.com)
these are sooooo cute!
The Very Hungry Caterpillar is one of the ultra-rare examples of Cupcake-Cake: Yer doin it rite, akshully.
Love, love, love Peter Rabbit -- I now have ideas for the baby shower cake I have to make this week! (I'm an amateur, so I don't qualify for wrecks.)
What's so great to me is that One Fish Two Fish and Fox in Socks were my all-time favorite Dr. Seuss tongue-twister books. My dad used to read them to me when I was little and I would urge him to read faster and faster and he always did it without a flub!
Those are absolutely amazing. Let's hear it for reading -- and great cakes! :)
Wonderful cakes! And "http://www.amazon.com/Night-Kitchen-Caldecott-Collection/dp/0060266686/" REL="nofollow">Night Kitchen" is a book reference, too!
I read that quote from Kanye too. What a tool.
These cakes are great! I love the Poky Little Puppy! I love Little Golden Books in general. I have a small collection going for my son.
Oh my gosh... These are so stinkin cute!
I dunno... sometimes I be thinkin' Dr. Seuss be so wordy. I wouldn't want his book's autograph.
Wow, what a moron.
Those cakes are AWESOME!! I want a Pokie Little Puppy cake!!
All Kanye West managed to do was make himself look like an idiot. Those cakes are beautiful though. :)
WV: Arnou... Teachers everywhere arnou attacking Kanye West with holy water, garlic, and books.
Wouldn't it be great if someone hit Kanye in the face with one of these cakes? Of course, that'd be a real waste of a gorgeous cake, and the irony would undoubtedly be lost on him...
I'm so glad I have never spent a cent supporting Kayne. His comments make me so sad. Thankfully, your cakes made me feel so much better.
This is, by far, my favorite Sunday Sweets ever! Thank you so much for this.
That brings back a lot of memories!
I hope he said that after his mother died. I like to think that she would've smacked twelve kinds of crap out of him had he said it while she was alive. Ugh, people like that make me sick.
Thank God for people like you, Jen!