Babymouse: Cupcake Tycoon
Bibliography
Holm, Jennifer L. and Matthew Holm. 2010. BABYMOUSE: CUPCAKE TYCOON. Ill. by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm. New York, NY: Random House Children's Books. ISBN 9780375865732
Plot Summary
After Babymouse accidently floods the library and destroys all the books, the school decides to put on a fundraiser to raise money for new books. The fundraiser: cupcakes! Babymouse, while having no success with fundraisers before, feels confident about getting these yummy treats sold, but her arch nemesis, Felicia, just has more advertising experience. Will Babymouse successfully sell the most cupcakes and win the mystery prize? Find out in the Holm's siblings 13th installment of the cute and funny comic book series.
Critical Analysis
The Holm's sibling author and illustrator pair have put out another fun and hilarious book in their famous Babymouse series. In this book, subtitled Cupcake Tycoon, Babymouse must sell cupcakes for a fundraiser for new books in the library after it floods (which she caused). Babymouse is such a fun character to follow behind on adventures; her bubbly and imaginative personality make her a great character to root for.
The story itself is simple, yet made exciting with the pair's illustrations and attention to detail. Their illustrations are very imaginative and humorous, like with the narrator's interactions with Babymouse and Babymouse's visits from God. The story does bring about an important message of trying your hardest to succeed and never giving up, a common theme in children's books, but an important one nonetheless.
The setting and frequent cast of characters of the book should be familiar to readers, as they are mostly the same throughout the series. This can be important for kids as they get to follow these characters and learn more about them as they continue reading the series. Though the characters don't go necessarily, they are prone to experience things or learn important lessons that children can relate to.
Babymouse is a great series for all to enjoy and I hope that the Holm's siblings continue to release more.
Review Excerpts
Horn Book Guide: "This graphic novel's plucky heroine, pink-tinted daydreams, and sassy narrator continue to be rich with humor, warmth, and cupcakes."
Good Comics for Kids: "Not only does Babymouse’s story have a terrific sense of humor and a gentle lesson that doesn’t make the book seem preachy or, heaven-forbid, educational, the artwork is top notch. It walks a line between making Babymouse’s world seem realistic and bringing her vivid imagination to life. My favorite example is the image showing what a library means to her. Anyone who has ever loved books has felt the same way. That’s why the Babymouse books are so popular with kids–the Holms haven’t forgotten what it is like to be a kid or the joys and problems that all kids face."
Common Sense Media: "The illustrations and story fit perfectly together, there are positive lessons throughout, especially about staying positive, and Babymouse is a great role model for kids who sometimes feel like the underdog."
Connections
More in the Babymouse Series: Babymouse: Queen of the World
Babymouse: Beach Babe
Babymouse: Rock Star
More by Jennifer L. Holm: The Lion of Mars
The Fourteenth Goldfish Series
Turtles in Paradise Series
Activity: Pretend your school is having a cupcake fundraiser! What would you do to sell cupcakes? Would you sell to relatives? Go door-to-door? Make a fancy sign? What would it say? Describe your cupcake fundraiser ideas.
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