Spoon

My 2-year-old adores this book (he toddles over to me, book in tow, saying, "Poon!")! It has darling illustrations and catchy dialogue; a much older child could appreciate it too. It's all about digging yourself for who you are while appreciating the uniqueness of others as well, and the use of a little spoon as protagonist is both endearing and clever. And by the way, as an adult I still struggle with the issue examined in the book; who doesn't compare themselves to others--others' most positive qualities, that is--and come up short?! Even if I didn't have a 2-year-old I'd want to own this book. Having the kiddo just gave me an excuse to buy it.

My 3-year-old son LOVES this book. It's all about a spoon who is jealous of his friends Knife, Fork and Chopsticks. Then you find out what they're saying about HIM! He comes to realize that being a spoon is pretty fun after all. The illustrations are just perfect and very entertaining. It's a short book, but when we read it, we really make emphasis on what everyone is saying, so that makes it more exiting. It's fun.

Love this book! Our 3 year-old son loves it too and appreciates the jokes. Adults will enjoy reading this book as there are puns that work as part of the story but also increase the entertainment level for the parent. It's not always easy to find books that I enjoy reading as much as my son, but this is one. The artwork is whimsical and humorous. All in all, an unexpectedly warm and charming book with a classic message about self-acceptance.

Spoon had a large family. There were all kinds of spoons in his family. There were teaspoons, drawing spoons, measuring spoons, soup ladles, tasting spoons, coffee spoons, dessert spoons, fancy ones and plain ones. If you could name it, they were in Spoon's family. On Sunday when they went to visit his prim and proper Aunt Silver he had to behave himself (talk about fancy!). At night his mother would read him a story about his "adventurous great-grandmother, who fell in live with a dish and ran off to a distant land." That was a story that made him smile! What didn't make him smile was the fact that he was a bit jealous of his friends, the fork, the knife and the chopsticks. They could do all kinds of things he couldn't do like fork up a salad, swirl up spaghetti, slice up a piece of cake and even pick up sushi. But what Spoon didn't know was that they were all talking behind his back and were very jealous of him. "Spoon is so lucky!" they were all saying and telling everyone the fun things Spoon could do that they couldn't. Was Spoon ever going to understand and realize just how lucky he was? This is a delightful story with a serious message that can be read to the young child whether or not they are experiencing jealousy issues. A story like this can reassure and assure them that each one of us has some very special assets that others look at and admire (and sometimes are jealous of). We are all very unique with special qualities. Spoon's friends "will never know the joy of diving headfirst into a bowl of ice cream." This is an adorable cuddle up and read in a rocking chair you won't want to miss!

This is an absolutely darling book with a perfect marriage of author and illustrator. One day, little Spoon sits on the edge of a bowl full of blueberries: he "had been feeling blue" so his mother who is lying on a napkin at the edge of the place mat asks him what is wrong. She comments, "You look a bit out of shape." Spoon tells her that he is envious of his friends, the Knife and the Fork who both have more fun than he does. He remarks that "Fork is so lucky! She gets to go practically EVERYWHERE. I bet she never goes stir-crazy like I do." A series of very cute pictures show Fork snagging lettuce and cucumber from a salad dish, twirling spaghetti, and reveal its tines deeply submerged in a piece of cake. Mother acknowledges his feelings but then reminds him about the many fun things that he can do including diving into a bowlful of ice cream. This insightful fable highlights the importance of accepting yourself. There is a wonderful picture of Mother and Father Spoon lying in one section of a drawer and Spoon peers at them over the drawer divider, his chin resting on one arm and says, "I can't sleep." The father replies, "Come, snuggle" and the mother chimes in, "Come, Spoon" (parents may need to explain why they are chortling). The illustrations are very colorful and full of humor, and despite a small format, clear enough to share in a story time.