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sb1999's review
5.0
Some important content in the form of a cute analogy with darling pictures. This is my new favorite picture book author.
cpaige4's review
4.0
Spork doesn't quite fit in with the rest of the utensils in the kitchen. The spoons think he is too pointy, and the forks think he is too round. After a couple of attempts to fit in with either fork or spoon, Spork was afraid that he would never find his place in the kitchen. That was until the baby came! A story with really cute illustrations and theme that teaches students to accept themselves just the way they are!
katieckb's review
5.0
This is a cute children’s picture book about a spork and how the spork doesn’t cute fit in with the spoons and doesn’t quite fit in with the forks, so he feels a bit lonely, but eventually he finds that he is needed! It touches on elements of what mixed-race children / people may experience.
kiralovesreading's review
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
There are a couple pages where the art reminds me distantly of a horror movie (which I’m more than okay with), but overall it’s super cute and I love it.
ecstaticlistening's review
2.0
Spork starts out promising if a bit obvious in its metaphor, but I wasn't completely clear what the message kids would take away from it. Every utensil has a purpose? Having a purpose is the only way to have value? Other people assign our value? But without overthinking it, it was cute.
calistareads's review
3.0
The spork is very cute in this, but he doesn’t fit in and he longs to be useful and be on the table with the other cutlery. His parents are the fork and spoon - go figure. It’s a simple story about appreciating what makes you different and finding your place. The spork is perfect for the baby.
The nephew sort of enjoyed this story. He thought the spork was cute and he liked seeing the cutlery moving about. It reminded him of one of his favorite movies - Beauty and the Beast. So, he gave this book 3 stars, but he did say that it was still a little boring.
The nephew sort of enjoyed this story. He thought the spork was cute and he liked seeing the cutlery moving about. It reminded him of one of his favorite movies - Beauty and the Beast. So, he gave this book 3 stars, but he did say that it was still a little boring.
jeremychiasson's review
2.0
This is another one of those: little so-and-so was different than all the other whatzits, he never fit in no matter how hard he tried, it made him sad, until one day his uniqueness proved to be useful, and suddenly he felt proud of his difference.
I know these books are for kids, I know the most important lessons are often simple and cliche, but for the LOVE OF GOD, it's been done! Almost 1/3 of the children's stories I read are this exact same story.
We get it, sometimes being different can be useful. But we have Rudolph, we have the Ugly Duckling, we have so many existing stories that are superior to these new ones being constantly churned out.
Furthermore, I'm getting tired of this whole message that being different is good because you are useful to people. What about kids who are different in a way that isn't useful to everyone? Shouldn't we be teaching children their lives have value beyond their usefulness to these so-called "normal people"?
That's what set "The Terrible Thing that Happened to Barnaby Brocket" by John Boyne apart. The final revelation of the story wasn't that Barnaby finally became useful, he just learned to love who he was and left the haters behind.
Anyway, all that ranting aside, "Spork" was a mildly amusing take on the very tired formula I discussed above. I'm sure your child won't mind how utterly uninspired the story's conceit is.
I know these books are for kids, I know the most important lessons are often simple and cliche, but for the LOVE OF GOD, it's been done! Almost 1/3 of the children's stories I read are this exact same story.
We get it, sometimes being different can be useful. But we have Rudolph, we have the Ugly Duckling, we have so many existing stories that are superior to these new ones being constantly churned out.
Furthermore, I'm getting tired of this whole message that being different is good because you are useful to people. What about kids who are different in a way that isn't useful to everyone? Shouldn't we be teaching children their lives have value beyond their usefulness to these so-called "normal people"?
That's what set "The Terrible Thing that Happened to Barnaby Brocket" by John Boyne apart. The final revelation of the story wasn't that Barnaby finally became useful, he just learned to love who he was and left the haters behind.
Anyway, all that ranting aside, "Spork" was a mildly amusing take on the very tired formula I discussed above. I'm sure your child won't mind how utterly uninspired the story's conceit is.
wordnerd153's review
4.0
Very sweet story about how it feels when you don't quite fit in. Kids will adore the illustrations and educators can use this as a read aloud to practice making predictions - what in the world could the messy thing be?
heart's review
3.0
Spork is the child of a spoon and a fork. Some of the kitchen utensils ask Spork, "what are you?" This is a question that Spork does not have a perfect answer to. Spork tries his very best to fit into just one part of himself but some of the utensils don't see him fitting in. Like many mixed-race children, Spork goes through feelings of estrangement and loneliness. It's not until Spork finds that both parts of him are what make him unique and have their role at the table that Spork realizes -
both parts of him are perfect!
The artwork is lovely! The character designs are absolutely adorable and even with a very limited colour palette create such beautiful illustrations. I'll be honest though, I wasn't sold on the story right away. It's pretty clear that this book is written from the perspective of a mixed-race child. Sometimes parties from one group won't fully accept traits of another. Spork goes through this discrimination too. The thing that makes Spork useful, however, becomes his ticket to being accepted. I'm not a fan of the message that sends. I definitely misread it the first time but I think that's something to note. People are more than what they can do for society or bring to the table, but all Spork wants to find his calling and do as the other forks and spoons do. He might be a little different, but he has his own traits that all make up a wonderful utensil, just like everyone else.
both parts of him are perfect!
The artwork is lovely! The character designs are absolutely adorable and even with a very limited colour palette create such beautiful illustrations. I'll be honest though, I wasn't sold on the story right away. It's pretty clear that this book is written from the perspective of a mixed-race child. Sometimes parties from one group won't fully accept traits of another. Spork goes through this discrimination too. The thing that makes Spork useful, however, becomes his ticket to being accepted. I'm not a fan of the message that sends. I definitely misread it the first time but I think that's something to note. People are more than what they can do for society or bring to the table, but all Spork wants to find his calling and do as the other forks and spoons do. He might be a little different, but he has his own traits that all make up a wonderful utensil, just like everyone else.