The toddler in this story is celebrating his birthday and wants to make a cake. So he asks his animal friends for help in getting the ingredients. The chicken gets some eggs; the bear gets flour; the cat gets butter and milk; the pig gets a pinch of salt; the dog gets sugar; and the monkey gets some cherries. They all help him to make the cake - and eat it. Pictures of the toddler speaking to his friends are juxtaposed with full-page illustrations showing how they get the various ingredients. Helen Oxenbury's other children's book include Farmer Duck (winner of the 1991 Smarties Prize), We're Going on a Bear Hunt (winner of the 1989 Smarties Prize), First Picture Books and the Pippo series of books.