Caterpillar Cake

A diverse and inclusive collection of original poems or younger children by a top performance poet


Would you like to eat a caterpillar cake? Join a rocket race into space? See crazy crocodiles at the zany zoo or play with a furry, purry cat? Wherever these 16 fun-filled poems lead you, they will brighten your day. Splashing at the seaside, storytime at school, playing in the bath or riding home on Daddy's shoulders - this brilliant, read-aloud collection for young children has lots to join in with and lots to explore in the brightly coloured illustrations.

“Reviews for Matt Goodfellow's The Chicken on the Roof "The poems cover every aspect of life and so will be enjoyed by anyone over seven, not just children and young people but adults too. It will help you through any situation of sadness, joy, pain, feeling lost." -- IBBY Link "Brings together humour, lyricism and contemplation with a voice than never fails to engage." -- Reading Zone , 5 star review "While many of the verses are humorous, some are more serious and thought-provoking. The range of subject matter and style will ensure readers are never bored and lively pen and ink illustrations add atmosphere and complement the text. A lively, illustrated collection of entertaining poetry by a popular performance poet." -- Book Trust , Books We Love "Second collection of poems from Matt Goodfellow. His high-energy poetry performances and workshops have delighted thousands of children across the UK and this varied new collection shows shows a mastery of different tones and styles." -- Achuka Book of the Month "Mattgoodfellow is a performance poet and his energy and verve shine through in this collection - I would love to hear him performing them! The topics are wide-ranging and all very relevant to children - rock pools, hide and seek, I'm bored. Some short--two liners told with great effect--and others more substantial; a great mix. A wonderful sense of humour pervades the poems, and adults will revel in that as they share these poems with children. 'There's a chicken there's a chicken there's a chicken on the roof The only way she's coming down is chicken parachute!' What a picture that conjures up--and that's how to inspire children to read and write poetry." -- Parents in Touch "Rhythm, rhyme, wordplay and whimsy make up this collection of poems about imagination and play and everyday life. With amusing and inclusive cartoons, its great strengths are its short lines and succinctness." -- Nicolette Jones, The Sunday Times”

"I’m sure that you will agree that there can never be too many poetry books for young readers. This one is particularly delightful with an eye-catching front cover showing a happy little girl facing out to welcome in the reader. All sixteen poems are simple, with distinct patterns that will make them memorable for even the youngest reader. All book-loving parents and practitioners know that babies respond to strong rhythmic language from day one (if not before). I loved them all for different reasons."

"Poetry for younger readers is always welcome in classrooms...The bright and colourful illustrations are joyous and lend themselves perfectly to the fun poems inside. Children will love listening to and performing the poems within. Titles include Zany Zoo, This Little Pencil and Bathtime. All easy to read, understand and enjoy. A few of these could become routine poems said aloud as part of the day!"

"Perfect for reading aloud to young children and once they’re familiar, perhaps those in KS1 could read some to one another. Whichever you do, take time not just to enjoy Matt’s writing but also debuting illustrator Krina Patel-Sage’s inclusive, vibrant digitally created illustrations. 

If you want to engender a love of language, this is definitely one to add to early years settings, KS1 classrooms, and family bookshelves (if you have little ones)."

"The book contains a wonderful range of poems which are instantly appealing to younger children. Full of humour and closely observed detail, they capture the joy of eating a really gooey cake, the thrill of skimming a stone, the flying feeling of being on a swing, the fun of bath time… The rhyme and rhythm of each verse are perfect for joining in with, lending themselves to performing and enjoying.  An amazing collection from an amazing poet, Caterpillar Cake is a poetry collection for everyone to enjoy."

"Caterpillar Cake, beautifully illustrated by Krina Patel-Sage... it's such a perfect collection for Early Readers, get one into your Early Years and KS1 classrooms!"

"The illustrations by Krina Patel-Sage burst off the page in joyful colour. A vibrant palette and strong images complement the words bringing them to life before they are spoken. The whole design of this book is a delight... A book to really enjoy and one that should not be hidden but easily found among the picture books ready for storytime."

"..a joyful collection of poetry that will have a wide appeal... filled with poems written to be shared aloud... Caterpillar Cake is vibrantly illustrated and is inviting to look at, as well as read. Its characters show diversity, so any child can see themselves in the pictures and poetry. It would be a welcome staple in the early years and primary year 1 classroom with its lightness and fun."

"Krina Patel-Sage’s illustrations are beautifully bright and engaging. The images portray a great diversity of young characters to ensure that poetry is seen as fully representative and accessible to all readers. Caterpillar Cake is a bright and fun-filled poetry collection that will appeal to fans of Michael Rosen and Joseph Coelho."

Matt Matt Goodfellow is a poet and former primary school teacher. This is his second collection for Otter-Barry Books, following The Chicken on the Roof, for which he was hailed by the Poetry Zone as a "fresh, young and welcome new voice to children's poetry." Matt’s high-energy performances have enthused thousands of children across the UK. He lives in Stockport, Cheshire.


Krina Patel-Sage is an illustrator, designer and author, whose artwork is created digitally, using Photoshop. In 2018 she was shortlisted for Penguin's Write Now Illustration prize. Caterpillar Cake is her first published picture book. She has two young sons and lives in London.

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