Shelf-Care For Kids: A Silly Story About Big Dreams & Embracing New Perspectives
There are some stories kids request be read to them over and over (and over) again. The Café at the Edge of the Woods is one parents may just find themselves hoping their kids choose for the hundredth read.
Written and illustrated by BAFTA-winning and Oscar-nominated filmmaker Mikey Please, the picture book immerses readers in an expansive, cinematic-feeling world, featuring elaborate hand-drawn illustrations on each page. The story’s main character, Rene, is a hardworking and determined entrepreneur with a dream of serving “fine cuisine” in a restaurant of her own. With her newfound waiter, Glumfoot, by her side, Rene crafts a menu sure to impress, and her dream begins to come alive. Her plans quickly unravel when the café’s first customer, an ogre, rejects her beautiful dishes and requests increasingly unique and revolting alternatives.
WHAT KIDS WILL LOVE
Young readers will find plenty to laugh at as Rene’s refined culinary vision collides with the peculiar appetites of the enchanted woods. She finds herself the odd one out as strange mythical and magical creatures become her only customers. Although Rene recommends the truffle stew and the cheddar tart, the ogre gleefully demands “Bats! And slugs and battered mice!” Told through charmingly addictive rhymes, each new customer request is sillier and more disgusting than the last, keeping readers on their toes. Rene’s horrified responses provide just as much comedy as the creatures themselves.
As entertaining as the story is, the illustrations will keep kids wanting to read the book again and again. Each page feels like a world of its own, filled with unusual creatures, inviting detail, and imaginative perspectives that are impossible to fully capture on the first read-through. The characters’ exaggerated expressions deliver their own jokes, and each scene feels alive with movement and anticipation. Even after the story becomes familiar, the artwork still has something new to discover with each reading.
BEYOND THE BOOK
Beneath the silly illustrations and revolting recipes lies an uplifting story about the power of embracing new perspectives. Rene is ready to give up on her dream until Glumfoot encourages her to change her perspective. When she becomes willing to listen to Glumfoot’s perspective, their strengths come together to make the cafe even better than she could have imagined. For kids, it’s a great example of how changing a plan isn’t the same as failing — and how another person’s ideas may help make their own vision even better.
The story itself began with a game the author played with his wife and son. His wife pretended to be a pompous chef, his son played the waiter, and Mikey interrupted as a demanding ogre with outrageous requests. Families can recreate this game at home or download free activity and coloring sheets from the author’s website for additional imaginative fun. Rene’s experience can also open a conversation for families to talk about times when plans changed unexpectedly or when listening to someone else’s perspective led to an even better outcome.
While creating the book, Mikey began thinking differently about the way he approaches his work. Rather than suffering through the process in the hope of being happy at the end, he wanted to find a way to enjoy each step along the way. It’s an idea that echoes Rene’s story — following your dreams matters, but so does finding joy in the unexpected places they lead you.
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