The Donut Chef

My kids LOVE this book. I picked up a copy at our library a few months ago and they wouldn't let me return it until I promised to buy them their own copy. The rhymes are fun and clever. The illustrations are perfect.

If you're intro "retro" art, like that done in the 50s, you need to check this book out right now. I actually thought from the cover and its designation as a "Golden Classic", this was a reissue of a much older book. Instead it appears to be first released in 2008, and the author is someone who does New Yorker covers (sorry, don't read it). In telling a tale of a donut chef who goes overboard competing with a similarly cutthroat donut chef next door, the author uses colorful, flat geometric shapes as a basis - both for pictures of donuts and for pictures of people and everything else. And there are lots and lots of donuts, lots and lots of people, and lots and lots of everything else on each page. I don't know how kids would react to that (I buy the books for myself as an illustration buff) but I sure could spend about a half-hour looking at each page.I truly didn't think anyone was doing this style of illustration anymore and am thrilled to see I was wrong! The effect is like Dr. Seuss had a collision with a box of Colorforms. The little girl "Debbie Sue" who finally shows Mr. Donut Chef the error of his ways reminded me a lot of "Cindy Lou Who". It made me nostalgic, although the story is very modern. If only he'd made it "The Cupcake Chef" it would have been very contemporary indeed - but donuts get the point across just as well, and promote the beautiful use of circles, circles everywhere.

This beautiful, humorous, fun book was an instant hit in our house. It is one of those book, that both me and my kids agree that are simply great. They cannot get enough of it,The story is vibrant and fun - A doughnut chef opens up a doughnut store, and after his success, another doughnut chef opens a store next door!The two stores compete for costumers and in their rivalry, the chefs try to rise above each other in creativity:"They made new flavors, quite bizarrelike cherry frosted lemon barsand peanut brickle buttermilkand gooey cocoa mocha silk!"How does it all end? You'll have to read and find out.What sets this book apart from others, in my view, are the REMARKABLE, nothing short of brilliant, illustrations. The illustrator, Bob Stakke, has a very unique graphic style, creating many characters, all of them funny and interesting out of simple graphic shapes such as circle, triangle and rectangles.Each page is vibrating with color, with fresh and exciting composition, really - a feast for the eyes. My kids spent long hours just revisiting the drawings, every time finding out something new and funny. I simply adore this book, and I am happy to read it again for the gazillion time. Though the story itself might appeal to 3yrs old and older, the beautiful and vivid illustration of doughnuts, frosting and other delicious things will appeal to even a 2 yrs old. This will make a wonderful gift for a kid you like, especially if this kid is yours and you will be the one reading it over and over again.

Excellent illustrations and fun story for 5-year-old and mom alike! My son has wanted me to read it repeatedly. He enjoys looking at the pictures on his own, too.

We first found The Donut Chef last year, when we found it on display at our local library. Who could resist such a fun cover and title? We brought it home, renewed it twice, and then bought our own copy. My 4-year-old son has memorized it and loves to read it to us, and even though we've probably read it at least 100 times, it never gets old and we're still finding new things to look at in Bob Staake's amazingly detailed illustrations. We've gone on to borrow as many of his other books as we can, as well as buying The Red Lemon, another book I can't recommend enough. Go ahead and clear a spot, front-and-center on the bookshelf, because you and your kid will love The Donut Chef and will read it over and over.

I really enjoyed this story! It is about a donut chef who decides to open a donut shop. The shop is immediately a huge hit around town and people from all over come to taste his delicious donuts- the line goes out the door and down the block! Another chef catches wind of his shop and decides to open his own donut shop to compete with the donut chef. For the next several pages, the chefs battle with deals, flavors, and incentives to try and prove their shop to be the best. The chefs decide that to be unique and to be the best they need to have extravagant donut flavors. For example, "Peanut-Brickle Buttermilk" and donuts shaped like octopus tentacles and macaroni. The more competitive they get, the more ridiculous the flavors, until eventually, the town is hardly interested in the donuts anymore because of their absurdity. One day, a little girl walks in looking for her favorite kind, a simple glazed donut. The chef excitedly offers her a variety of crazy flavors instead, but she insists that she only wants glazed. Upon her request, other people agree with her and the chef is so surprised to hear that what really makes everyone happy, is his simple, tasty, donuts made with love. He quickly cooks up a batch and learns that simple can sometimes be better and that classic donuts stand the test of time. The last page shows all the towns-people enjoying their glazed donuts, while the other chef scowls in the background.Along with a fun storyline, I loved reading this book aloud to my kids because it rhymes and has such a great rhythm. The illustrations are bright and fun, and there is lots to look at on each page. The only reason I gave this book 4 stars instead of 5, is because there wasn't a super clear message or lesson in the story. I suppose Bob Staake was trying to teach his readers that fancy is not always better and that sometimes simple is the best approach. I like this message, but I think it is a bit abstract for my kiddos' age, but it is a fun book!