Spoon

PreS-Gr 1—Spoon is happy living with his large family in the silverware drawer, but sometimes he feels sad that he can't spread things like Knife, do some of the things Fork does, and be cool like Chopsticks in this fully-animated version of the tale (Hyperion, 2009) by Amy Krouse Rosenthal. Little does Spoon realize that his friends wish they could also stir and measure things. This is a very simple story about self esteem and, although the message is clear, Rosenthal keeps the moral from being too heavy-handed. Scott Magoon's simple watercolor-and-ink illustrations give the anthropomorphized cutlery a good deal of personality. Rosenthal narrates her tale, giving all the characters distinct voices and personalities. The upbeat original background music, composed by Jack Sundrud and Rusty Young and recorded with a variety of instruments, complements the mood of the book. Interviews with the author and music composers provided added interest. A good choice for schools or preschools to help young children understand that everyone should celebrate what makes them special.—Donna Cardon, Provo City Library, UT