by Harry Woodgate
“A good story is a bit like a cake…
First you need the right ingredients:
A dash of daring.
A generous dollop of laughter.
A spoonful of surprise and…
A tantalising twist that nobody was expecting.
You’ll need a plucky hero to stir everything up (that’s me, Cinnamon”.
Welcome Cinnamon Crumb! She may never live up to her namesake (her baking is truly terrible) but she takes up a starring role in the genre of cosy, middle grade, crime capers.
Book 1 in a new 4-book series, The Great Cake Caper marks Harry Woodgate’s debut in to middle grade. Best known for their award-wining picture book Grandad series (see Grandad’s Pride and Grandad’s Camper on our website), Harry has nevertheless made this transition in to chapter books look very easy. The plot is satisfying riddled with clues and suspects, the characters endear and tickle (Cinnamon’s gift for baking jokes and puns never tires), the setting is scrumptious.
The town of Marzipan is an edible topography, taking in Marshmallow Mountains, Matcha Meadows, Mooncake Mews, the river Chai and, of course, Choux Street where Cinnamon’s family home -Crumb House- totters in between rival bakeries, Victoria Sponge’s Tea Emporium and Madeleine Macaron’s Mouthwatering Delights. It’s a placeless and timeless world which is wonderfully free of any technology: Aunt Tatin uses a typewriter and a landline phone; batter is mixed with a handheld whisk; physical books are read. But, alongside this sweet nostalgia is a strong contemporariness captured in Cinnamon's chatty humourous (first person) voice, the relatibility of the characters and Harry’s always effortless inclusive layering. The town is populated by people of different ethnicities, abilities, body shapes and diverse family structures. Significant portrayals include Cinnamon’s friends: Rafi and his non-binary sibling, Roman, who are from a single parent, Turkish family; Amber who is Black, has two dads and, in perhaps the most empowered representation we have seen in pre-teen children’s books, has Tourette’s. Also, watch out for Maddie and Victoria’s blushes over a shared cupcake.
And then, there is the series’ format. Occasional comic panels and witty little footnoted asides to the reader sit comfortably in this hugely accessible, highly illustrated, series. Harry has brought all of the light play, textures and carnival of his picture book colour palette into these monochromatic pages. The art work takes up whole spreads, frames edges and folds around chapter headers and page folios. And yet, the format never ever feels too busy. Instead text and illustrations synch together to create a perfectly flavoured, immersive world. As sinkable as a perfectly airy chocolate mousse. Age 8-12, Paperback 345pp
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Themes: Gender Equality Themes: LQBTQ+ Themes: Diverse Families Themes: Disabilities