Chopsticks

The chopsticks from Rosenthal and Magoon’s Spoon (2009) take center stage in this clever companion book, which is as charming and whimsical as its predecessor. Best friends, the chopsticks are all but inseparable. “They go everywhere together. They do everything together. They’re practically attached at the hip.” But while trying a fancy new culinary trick, one of the chopsticks snaps and is whisked away (literally, by a whisk) to the medicine cabinet, where a grave bottle of glue pronounces, “It was a clean break. He just needs to stay off it while it sets.” The marriage of text, digital art, and design provide plentiful puns and laugh-out-loud humor, as the injured chopstick encourages his friend to explore the world without him (“Go! Chop, chop!”). He eventually picks up a whole new set of skills, helping Spoon pole vault, testing cupcakes for doneness, and even conducting a motley kitchen-utensil orchestra. Rosenthal spells out the story’s message—“Unexpectedly, being apart had made each of them even stronger”—but it’s leavened with plenty of droll comedy, reminding readers that solo practice can make for even better duets. Ages 4–8. (Jan.)