Description:

His Mom is a spoon. His Dad is a fork. And he's a bit of both. He's Spork! Spork sticks out in the regimented world of the cutlery drawer. The spoons think he's too pointy, while the forks find him too round. He never gets chosen to be at the table at mealtimes until one day a very messy toddler arrives in the kitchen who has never heard of cutlery customs. Will Spork finally find his place at the table? This "multi-cutlery" tale is a humorous and lively commentary on individuality and tolerance. Its high-spirited illustrations capture the experience and emotions of anyone who has ever wondered about their place in the world.

Review:

Young Spork—Mum’s a spoon and Dad’s a fork—is a little bit of both, creating endless sorting problems in the kitchen. In an attempt to fit in, Spork dons a hat to look more “spoon-ish ” and later a crown to fit in with the forks, but neither leads to approval. Finally, a messy baby arrives in the human household—spilling, flinging, and dripping with abandon—and Spork turns out to be the perfect eating utensil. Maclear, the daughter of a British father and Japanese mother, writes knowingly of cultural hybridity, and her message of acceptance will resonate, particularly with parents. Arsenault’s digitally assembled, mixed-media illustrations, rendered in gray tones highlighted in red, feature a host of anthropomorphized kitchen utensils sure to delight young listeners. Particularly clever are Spork’s fantasies of other combos: a mixer-juicer and a rolling pin–corkscrew, for example. Although the youngest may miss the text’s interracial implications, they’re sure to catch Mum and Dad’s assurances that Spork is perfect just the way he is.

Preschool-Grade 2. --Kay Weisman

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