The Story Behind the Story

Every child deserves to feel that they belong.

Cakes Are Us book cover

The Message

When Vani, Coco, Ria, Ruby, Fifi, Lola, Sunny and their cake friends start arguing over who's the best, the wise Cake Maker shows them a secret: though their toppings may differ, they're all made of the same sweet ingredients.

Cakes Are Us is a celebration of what makes us different and what brings us together. Through rhyme, colour, and characters that children instantly love, the book opens a door to the kind of conversations that shape how children see the world — and themselves.

It's a story about friendship. About belonging. About the joy of discovering that, underneath it all, we're more alike than we are different.

Why This Book Was Written

This book was born from a simple observation: children notice differences early, and they're curious about them. That curiosity is beautiful — and it deserves a beautiful answer. Cakes Are Us was written to give parents, teachers, and carers a joyful, natural way to talk about diversity with young children. Not through lectures, but through laughter. Not through lessons, but through a story they'll want to hear again and again.

Because when a child sees that a chocolate cake and a vanilla cake are both wonderful — and both made of the same ingredients — something clicks. And that click can last a lifetime.

Vani Coco Ria Ruby Fifi Lola Sunny

A Dedication to Children

"For every child who has ever felt different — you are the sweetest flavour of all."

About the Author

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Ayo Ayeni is an author and storyteller based in London. With a passion for children's literature and a belief that stories can change the world, Ayo wrote Cakes Are Us to help young readers celebrate who they are and embrace the beautiful differences around them.

Published by Hot Coffee Books Publishing, Cakes Are Us is Ayo's debut children's book — and the start of something truly sweet.

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