Spoon is a lovable fellow…so easy for just about everyone to identify with. Spoon longs to cut like knife or be exotic like chopsticks. While observing all of the things that make his friends useful and special, Spoon fails to recognize all of the wonderful things about himself. (Told you he was easy to relate to!)

In this charming book, author Amy Krouse Rosenthal brings to life the thoughts and feelings of an ordinary utensil, and takes the reader on a journey as a (not-so) simple spoon, recognizes his true worth. Spoon like so many of us, can see only the proverbial other side of the utensil drawer. Everyone has it better than he does. Everyone else is more useful, more special, and leads a much more exciting life. Knife gets to spread, fork can twirl spaghetti and plunge into decadent cake, while chopsticks reign as the resident “cool guys” of the silverware drawer. ( Spoon’s mother agrees that yes, his friends are indeed special, but encourages Spoon to consider how they might feel about HIM.

Spoon had never considered all of the special things that made him who HE was. He had been so busy focusing on the good and desirable qualities of others that he had failed to realize just how much he could do!

Through illustrator Scott Magoon’s delightfully adorable depictions of Spoon and his utensil friends, we see Spoon gleefully clink against the side of a cereal bowl, and go for a relaxing dip in a cup of hot tea. He also failed to realize just how highly his friends thought of him. After reading this story with my two oldest (5 and 3), we were able to have a great discussion about what makes each of us special. I love that Spoon can help children recognize their value and celebrate the unique talents and abilities that make them who they are. I asked my five year old what she thought Spoon learned and she replied, “I think he knew he was special, but that his friends were important too.” Spoon would be a fantastic book to read during an All About Me, Friendship, or Community unit in the classroom, and is a must-have for any home library. (Grown-ups will appreciate some of the subtle humor throughout the book as well, such as Spoon listening to the love story of his great-grandmother who ran away with a dish, and Spoon’s parents inviting him to come and spoon with them at the end!)Look for this book in a Scholastic book clubs flyer near you, or head to their website to check out this and thousands of other fantastic titles!

As part of Scholastic’s Parent Circle, I am honored to review amazing children’s literature each month, and love that I get to share these books with all of you! I am so excited that one of you has the chance to win this charming (and sure to be classic!) book from Scholastic!


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