Pinkalicious

Pinkalicious begins on a rainy day, when Pinkalicious’ mother suggests that the family bake cupcakes. Pinkalicious adamantly requests that they make the treats pink, and when they are finished, she finds them delicious. After waking up from her nap, Pinkalicious continues to ask for more treats, and she eats more cupcakes after dinner. This prompts a sugar high that prevents her from sleeping for some time. The next morning, Pinkalicious awakens to find that her skin and hair have turned pink, the color of the cupcakes.

Pinkalicious is delighted at her new look, calling herself “Pinkerbelle.” After discovering that their daughter’s pink hue cannot be removed, her parents take her to the doctor. He diagnoses her with “Pinkitis” and prescribes a new diet of only green food. Pinkalicious, her little brother Peter, and her mother stop by the park on their way home from the doctor, and Pinkalicious’ skin causes her to attract a terrifying swarm of insects and birds. Despite this, when they get home, Pinkalicious asks for another pink cupcake. Her parents instead give her a dinner of green vegetables, but after they go to sleep, Pinkalicious sneaks one more cupcake. To her shock, she wakes up bright red the next day. Understanding the necessity of the doctor’s orders, she eats piles of green food to reverse the effects of the cupcakes. The trick works, and Pinkalicious returns to her normal color. The story ends with her little brother Peter appearing with pink skin and a partially eaten treat in his hand, signifying that he has eaten the rest of the cupcakes.

Pinkalicious teaches the importance of restraint and appreciating good things in moderation. The main character’s refusal to limit her cupcake consumption is initially of no concern to her, but she eventually faces the startling consequences. She learns that, although the cupcakes are delicious, she should not eat too many. She also learns to listen to the adults in her life, including her parents and her doctor, when they advise her on what to do. It is only by doing so that she cures herself.

The story’s plot conveys the central message through the logical progression of Pinkalicious’ actions; the lesson she learns is directly tied to her decisions and character arc. However, despite the story’s insistence that pink sugary foods are best in moderation, Pinkalicious does little to convince readers that green, healthy foods are good. They are the catalyst for the main character’s recovery, yet she describes them as icky and gag-worthy.

Pinkalicious features full-size illustrations on every page that mimic collages, with characters and objects that appear almost glued onto the background, rather than being drawn. The text is in a large font that is easy for children to read themselves, and each page may contain anywhere from zero words (in which case, the adjacent page may have a few paragraphs) to several lines.

Pinkalicious is a must-read story suitable for all ages, thanks to its simple yet timeless message. Young and old readers can understand the moral about self-restraint, and its unique aesthetic makes for an engaging experience that readers will not soon forget.

Sexual Content

• None

Violence

• The main character, Pinkalicious is “surrounded by bees, butterflies, and birds” at the park due to her pink skin, and the illustration shows her fearful expression as she is circled by a whirlwind of creatures.

Drugs and Alcohol

• None

Language

• In response to her doctor’s recommendation that she eat healthy and green food, Pinkalicious narrates “BOO!” and “YUCK!”

Supernatural

• The story revolves around a young girl who contracts “Pinkititis” after eating too many pink cupcakes.
• Pinkalicious later turns red after eating one more cupcake: “I was a deeper pink than I had ever seen. In fact, I was no longer pink. I was red!”

Spiritual Content

• None

by Gabrielle Barke