The Little Chefs

Hidden in every kitchen, Wells (On the Night Before Kindergarten) promises in this charming three-tale collection, is a wall-concealed telephone that can summon a team of “small and clever” toque-wearing human chefs, portrayed with various skin tones, to rescue cooks in need of help. Watercolor-and-ink illustrations first depict Sylvie the kitten, flummoxed by feast preparations for her mother; then rodent Leo, whose French toast with raspberry meringue is a hot mess; and finally Oscar the bunny, whose birthday cake tastes like “week-old fish sticks.” Traveling to kitchen catastrophes via jet packs, a zeppelin, and a rocket, the diminutive chefs provide top-notch culinary skills as well as comfort, wiping tears, patting hands, and even talking Oscar “down from his pillar of grief.” Unlike much cooking media, these stories don’t wallow in angst or score points at the protagonists’ expense. Instead, they admire each cook’s aspirations and determination, while providing a dash of magic and a whisk of expertise. After all, “there’s trouble in the world,/ in kitchens big and small./ Omelets burn in Memphis./ Sauces curdle in St. Paul.” Inset boxes titled “Little Chefs in History” appear throughout. Ages 4–8. (Oct.)