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Spork
His mum 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 ... thing 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.
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 ... thing 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.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2010
36 people are currently reading
1217 people want to read
About the author
Kyo Maclear
32 books499 followersKyo Maclear is an essayist, novelist and children’s author. She was born in London, England and moved to Toronto at the age of four with her British father (a foreign correspondent and documentary filmmaker) and Japanese mother (a painter and art dealer).
Her books have been translated into eighteen languages, published in over twenty-five countries, and garnered nominations from the Hilary Weston Writers’ Trust Prize for Nonfiction, the Governor General’s Literary Awards, the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Awards, the Amazon.ca First Novel Award, the National Magazine Awards, among other honours.
Unearthing: a Story of Tangled Love and Family Secrets (2023) was a national bestseller and awarded the Governor General’s Literary Award for Nonfiction. Her hybrid memoir Birds Art Life (2017) was a #1 National Bestseller and winner of the Trillium Book Award and the Nautilus Book Award for Lyrical Prose. It was named one of the best books of 2017 by The Globe and Mail, CBC, Now Magazine, the National Post, Forbes, the Chicago Review of Books, and Book Riot.
Her work has appeared in Orion Magazine, Brick, Border Crossings, The Millions, LitHub, The Volta, Prefix Photo, Resilience, The Guardian, Lion’s Roar, Azure, The Globe and Mail, and elsewhere. She has been a national arts reviewer for Canadian Art and a monthly arts columnist for Toronto Life.
Kyo holds a doctorate in environmental humanities teaches creative writing with The Humber School for Writers and the University of Guelph Creative Writing MFA.
She lives in Tkaronto/Toronto, on the traditional territories of the Mississaugas of the New Credit, the Haudenosaunee, Métis, and the Huron-Wendat.
Her books have been translated into eighteen languages, published in over twenty-five countries, and garnered nominations from the Hilary Weston Writers’ Trust Prize for Nonfiction, the Governor General’s Literary Awards, the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Awards, the Amazon.ca First Novel Award, the National Magazine Awards, among other honours.
Unearthing: a Story of Tangled Love and Family Secrets (2023) was a national bestseller and awarded the Governor General’s Literary Award for Nonfiction. Her hybrid memoir Birds Art Life (2017) was a #1 National Bestseller and winner of the Trillium Book Award and the Nautilus Book Award for Lyrical Prose. It was named one of the best books of 2017 by The Globe and Mail, CBC, Now Magazine, the National Post, Forbes, the Chicago Review of Books, and Book Riot.
Her work has appeared in Orion Magazine, Brick, Border Crossings, The Millions, LitHub, The Volta, Prefix Photo, Resilience, The Guardian, Lion’s Roar, Azure, The Globe and Mail, and elsewhere. She has been a national arts reviewer for Canadian Art and a monthly arts columnist for Toronto Life.
Kyo holds a doctorate in environmental humanities teaches creative writing with The Humber School for Writers and the University of Guelph Creative Writing MFA.
She lives in Tkaronto/Toronto, on the traditional territories of the Mississaugas of the New Credit, the Haudenosaunee, Métis, and the Huron-Wendat.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 453 reviews
August 7, 2023
بخاطر دخترک تو سن خرپیرگی نشستم داستان کودکان خوندم😂
اما خوب بود حس بچگی میداد🤭
با تشکرات از هانیه دخترک گروه😁
اما خوب بود حس بچگی میداد🤭
با تشکرات از هانیه دخترک گروه😁
January 19, 2020
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.
June 25, 2019
A spoon and a fork start a family and they have a little spork, Spork finds it hard to fit in, the spork feels neither one thing or another, until a small person arrives and Spork is just what they need.
A nice story about feeling different, the need to fit in and the need to feel useful. The illustrations are wonderful, I love Isabelle Arsenault's drawings, amazing how these kitchen items become alive with Arsenault's skill as an illustrator. The depiction of tomato sauce through the final pages did look like blood spattered everywhere, I think it could have done with some peas or other food items to make this look less like an accident scene and more like a messy mealtime!
A nice story about feeling different, the need to fit in and the need to feel useful. The illustrations are wonderful, I love Isabelle Arsenault's drawings, amazing how these kitchen items become alive with Arsenault's skill as an illustrator. The depiction of tomato sauce through the final pages did look like blood spattered everywhere, I think it could have done with some peas or other food items to make this look less like an accident scene and more like a messy mealtime!
August 7, 2023
شنگال کیوت و دوستداشتنی 🤣🥹
March 6, 2017
برای من هم داستان و هم مفهوم خاصی که داشت جذاب بود اما بیشتر دوست دارم بدونم یه مخاطب کوچولو چه درک و دریافتی از این کتاب داره.
August 7, 2023
کیوت و دوست داشتنی😍🤭
July 29, 2021
Get in where you fit in story. Cute, but not the best.
August 8, 2023
کیووووووووووووووتتتتتتتتتت
فکر کنم باید همین کتابایی که هانیه معرفی میکنه بخونم که چالش گودریدز امسالم موفقیت آمیز باشه😂 هم خوش میگذره با کتاب کودک هم کوتاهه🤣😂
فکر کنم باید همین کتابایی که هانیه معرفی میکنه بخونم که چالش گودریدز امسالم موفقیت آمیز باشه😂 هم خوش میگذره با کتاب کودک هم کوتاهه🤣😂
October 27, 2016
Look at poor Spork. Doesn't this make your heart melt for him?
This is a sweet picture book about a child that doesn't fit in because he is made up of half of his mother and his father. Like some interracial, where they are the only one in the neighborhood like them, you can feel like you don't fit in.
And of course, there is a place for everyone, as evidence by the ending of this book.
Great book to teach about being different, and finding your place.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
This is a sweet picture book about a child that doesn't fit in because he is made up of half of his mother and his father. Like some interracial, where they are the only one in the neighborhood like them, you can feel like you don't fit in.
And of course, there is a place for everyone, as evidence by the ending of this book.
Great book to teach about being different, and finding your place.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
May 18, 2018
I read Spork because I really like picture books written by Kyo Maclear and picture books illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault, and this seems to be a very popular one, but I like it less than others from both of them; for instance, their book Virginia Wolf.
This book is about a spork, the offspring of a spoon and fork. They refer to this as a book based on “multi-cutlery,” which I love, I admit it, but the rest of the book is pretty straightforwardly about tolerance for differences. Not quite edgy enough (or poetic/ethereal, on the other hand), for me.
This book is about a spork, the offspring of a spoon and fork. They refer to this as a book based on “multi-cutlery,” which I love, I admit it, but the rest of the book is pretty straightforwardly about tolerance for differences. Not quite edgy enough (or poetic/ethereal, on the other hand), for me.
August 2, 2020
این روزا فقط دارم برای کودک درونم قصه می خونم
November 26, 2024
This is a great book for children in multiracial or multicultural families who might be struggling with the problem of not quite fitting in with those around them.
August 8, 2023
یه داستان کیوت و بانمک با یه مفهوم قشنگ 🥺
May 3, 2020
"Just a bit round. Just a bit pointy."
and as we come to find out
"Just right."
The illustrations in this book might seem bleak to someone flipping through in a bookstore, but I'm here to say they are most effective. I love everything about this book, especially its message that everyone and everything has a purpose. We just have to be patient when looking to find it.
and as we come to find out
"Just right."
The illustrations in this book might seem bleak to someone flipping through in a bookstore, but I'm here to say they are most effective. I love everything about this book, especially its message that everyone and everything has a purpose. We just have to be patient when looking to find it.
May 18, 2014
I have a huge author crush on Kyo Maclear! This book is another favorite, just like Virginia Wolf. A children's book that deals with not fitting into social labels, it hit home personally as a biracial person. I would have loved to read something like this as a kid.
May 11, 2012
I really wanted to love this book. I like the concept of showing a child who is a mix of both parents, with a twist--they're cutlery! When your parents are a fork and a spoon, you end up being a spork! I could see where bi-racial children might be a target audience here.
That said, I think this would only be useful in certain cases. I certainly hope that as a society we are getting to the point where a child of mixed races does not feel so left out all the time! :-( Some children who already feel very accepted might worry after they read Spork, wondering if people will end up treating them differently. But those facing challenges and discrimination might really enjoy Spork's story and feel cheered that he eventually finds a way to fit in.
Of course, it doesn't have to just be about race. I know many children struggle to fit in for a variety of reasons, and so Spork's story might also appeal to them.
The illustrations are kinda cool, kinda weird. I liked all the kitchen utensils. I did not like the blood-red splatters when the "new creature" moves in and starts messing up the place. It was kind of creepy, even if it was just supposed to be tomato sauce. I get that the new creature was supposed to be a bit scary, but I wish they had used a different color.
That said, I think this would only be useful in certain cases. I certainly hope that as a society we are getting to the point where a child of mixed races does not feel so left out all the time! :-( Some children who already feel very accepted might worry after they read Spork, wondering if people will end up treating them differently. But those facing challenges and discrimination might really enjoy Spork's story and feel cheered that he eventually finds a way to fit in.
Of course, it doesn't have to just be about race. I know many children struggle to fit in for a variety of reasons, and so Spork's story might also appeal to them.
The illustrations are kinda cool, kinda weird. I liked all the kitchen utensils. I did not like the blood-red splatters when the "new creature" moves in and starts messing up the place. It was kind of creepy, even if it was just supposed to be tomato sauce. I get that the new creature was supposed to be a bit scary, but I wish they had used a different color.
January 6, 2021
به راستی می توانم بگویم که کتاب کودک دنیایش با تمام کتاب ها متفاوت است .
شنگال را خیلی دوست دارم انگار قرار است با زبانی کودکانه چیز مهمی را فریاد بزند که تفاوت ها همیشه مانع پیشرفت نیستند گاهی اوقات تفاوت ها تو را بالا می برند ..
دوستت دارم شنگال 😍
شنگال را خیلی دوست دارم انگار قرار است با زبانی کودکانه چیز مهمی را فریاد بزند که تفاوت ها همیشه مانع پیشرفت نیستند گاهی اوقات تفاوت ها تو را بالا می برند ..
دوستت دارم شنگال 😍
August 4, 2022
این کتاب در مورد پذیرش ویژگی های فردی هست، اینکه بچهها اعتماد به نفس داشته باشن و خودشون رو هرجوری هستن دوست داشته باشن.
من به عنوان بزرگسال خوشم اومد ازش. باید ببینم واکنش بچهها چیه.
من به عنوان بزرگسال خوشم اومد ازش. باید ببینم واکنش بچهها چیه.
March 10, 2017
This is a book dealing with multi-race or multi-ethnic families. In this book they use cutlery to present this notion. Spork has part of his mom, a spoon, and his dad, a fork. He is never picked when someone sets the table, he never gets the bubble bath after a meal and he is shunned by both the spoons and the forks. This story highlights that there is a place in the world for everyone. You just have to find it. Luckily for Spork, when neither the forks or spoons could handle the baby, he got the chance to show what he could do. The illustrations are detailed but with little colour. The expressions on some of the cutlery is scary at times, but Spork is quite adorable. I think it is important to help children explore how we are all different, but I am not sure if they will get the multi-race aspect from this book. This story could be used in various discussions such as all families are different, bullying by omission, finding your purpose and strengths, be true to yourself and so on. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via netgalley.
January 20, 2018
What a cute little book! To adult readers, it would be pretty clear that we're not talking about cutlery, but about multi-racial families. But it's a great parallel, and addresses some of the issues that kids in such families might face.
I wasn't 100% sold on the illustrations, but only because I'm not sure how appealing they'd be to the target age group. The book is fairly monochromatic, with a rather rough look to it. Spork, however, is adorable.
Overall, this is a cute book with a great message about finding your place in the world.
Quotable moment:
I wasn't 100% sold on the illustrations, but only because I'm not sure how appealing they'd be to the target age group. The book is fairly monochromatic, with a rather rough look to it. Spork, however, is adorable.
Overall, this is a cute book with a great message about finding your place in the world.
Quotable moment:
One day, after the billionth time he was asked "What are you, anyway?" and the zillionth time he was passed over when the table was being set...
... Spork sighed and thought, "It must be easier to be a single thing." And he decided he'd try to pick just one thing to be.
March 29, 2012
Spork feels lonely and excluded for being seen as too round or too pointy. Where does he fit in? How can he make a difference?
In a world surrounded by spearing forks and stirring spoons, Spork will have readers hoping and rooting for him to find his purpose and path to the kitchen table!
I just adored this book’s simple yet brilliant way of addressing multiculturalism or “multi-cutlery”. :) Spork made me smile, think, and clear a spot in my silverware drawer!
A wonderful book that presents a meaningful lesson in a fun, clever way for kids.
3/25/12
In a world surrounded by spearing forks and stirring spoons, Spork will have readers hoping and rooting for him to find his purpose and path to the kitchen table!
I just adored this book’s simple yet brilliant way of addressing multiculturalism or “multi-cutlery”. :) Spork made me smile, think, and clear a spot in my silverware drawer!
A wonderful book that presents a meaningful lesson in a fun, clever way for kids.
3/25/12
November 6, 2021
livre génial pour parler de différence 👏🏻
January 11, 2018
Check out more Picture book reviews @ Perspective of a Writer...
Spork has a spoon for a mom and a fork for a daddy. He tries to fit in but can't satisfy both the forks and spoons. He fights feelings of loneliness and exclusion as he is left in the silverware drawer. Will he ever have a use?
The art was very monotone which was not my favorite but at the same time fit the world of silverware. When the red splatters came I was very intrigued as was my nephew. The multi-media art style is not my favorite though it worked here. It had a sense of playfulness as well as structure.
I liked how time was taken to explain spork's situation, why he felt the way he did and how he tried to belong. I think my nephew was intrigued by spork's feelings and especially sat up when the baby came along!
I liked how relatable the story was to anyone who feels they don't belong and can't fit in. I'm not sure that the solution to the problem was presented in the story though I agree everyone has a place they can make a difference, the baby was a bit of a stretch to me...
The narration was quite good and seemed to fit the art style.
BOTTOM LINE: Fitting in explained simply and relatably.
______________________
You can find this review and many others on my book blog @ Perspective of a Writer. See my picture book reviews in a special feature called Boo's Picture Gallery...
February 10, 2017
June 26, 2016
April 13, 2014
You can read it as the straightforward story of a being who's a little different and doesn't fit in. You can also read it as the story of finding acceptance with self and with society as a bi-racial being. You could extrapolate it on out as a story about anyone who contains two distinctly different traditions of any kind. But it's amusing on the most basic literal utensil level, which enables one to appreciate the others.
"Spork!" should be the Tick's new battle cry.
Library copy.
April 13, 2014
You can read it as the straightforward story of a being who's a little different and doesn't fit in. You can also read it as the story of finding acceptance with self and with society as a bi-racial being. You could extrapolate it on out as a story about anyone who contains two distinctly different traditions of any kind. But it's amusing on the most basic literal utensil level, which enables one to appreciate the others.
"Spork!" should be the Tick's new battle cry.
Library copy.
March 7, 2017
بعضی از کتب کودک رو که میخونم، میگم کاش وقتی بچه بودم این کتاب نوشته شده بود و میخوندمش
چنگال هم یکی از اون کتاباست
داستان یه مامان قاشق و بابا چنگال که خودش هم قاشقه هم چنگال
غیر از داستان جذابش برای بچه ها، تصاویر خوبی هم داشت با اینکه رنگهای خوبی نداشت، ولی جزئیات زیادی داشت و با متن هماهنگ بود و کودک حین خوندن داستان تو تصاویر دنبال جزئیات میگرده
چنگال هم یکی از اون کتاباست
داستان یه مامان قاشق و بابا چنگال که خودش هم قاشقه هم چنگال
غیر از داستان جذابش برای بچه ها، تصاویر خوبی هم داشت با اینکه رنگهای خوبی نداشت، ولی جزئیات زیادی داشت و با متن هماهنگ بود و کودک حین خوندن داستان تو تصاویر دنبال جزئیات میگرده
May 9, 2018
Well done story about diversity, acceptance, and individuality.
August 9, 2023
لازم به ذکر هست بگم یه جماعتی رو بنده شنگالخوان کردم؟
جایزه نداره واقعا؟
از ۱۰۰ تا کتاب مختلف باحالتر هستش خداوکیلی 😂😂😂
پ.ن: پیشنهاد تضمینی هستش، بخونید، پشیمون نمیشید😁.
جایزه نداره واقعا؟
از ۱۰۰ تا کتاب مختلف باحالتر هستش خداوکیلی 😂😂😂
پ.ن: پیشنهاد تضمینی هستش، بخونید، پشیمون نمیشید😁.
December 16, 2019
The offspring of a union between a spoon and a fork, Spork never quite felt at home with either community of cutlery. Too round for the forks and two pointed for the spoons, he didn't fit in. Worse than that, he didn't seem to have a purpose on the dinner table. Until the day, that is, that a messy thing arrived in his world, and needed exactly what he had to offer...
This amusing tale from Kyo Maclear, herself the daughter of a British father and a Japanese mother, is intended as a metaphorical exploration of the experiences of a biracial child. As such, it offers a fairly fun and creative way of looking at the feelings such a child might have, in terms of issues of community and belonging. The accompanying mixed media artwork by Isabelle Arsenault, who has worked on such books as Cloth Lullaby and You Belong Here , are muted but appealing. Recommended to anyone looking for children's stories about mixed-race families and children, explored in a somewhat offbeat fashion.
This amusing tale from Kyo Maclear, herself the daughter of a British father and a Japanese mother, is intended as a metaphorical exploration of the experiences of a biracial child. As such, it offers a fairly fun and creative way of looking at the feelings such a child might have, in terms of issues of community and belonging. The accompanying mixed media artwork by Isabelle Arsenault, who has worked on such books as Cloth Lullaby and You Belong Here , are muted but appealing. Recommended to anyone looking for children's stories about mixed-race families and children, explored in a somewhat offbeat fashion.
February 10, 2017
A digitized ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
OMeffingG! This is the cutest book I received via NetGalley so far! So Glad I was approved a copy that I got to read it! 500000000000000*N-star if I could help it! So darn adorable!
I had no idea I'd be encountering Author Kyo Maclear again so soon! The first time I got to read her work was just a month ago, again, thanks to NetGalley:
. I find it to be pretty awesome already (my review), but I'm happily surprised that I even like Spork a whole new level of MORE!!!! I think I just maybe be reading more Kyo Maclear's in the near future. =D
Onto the book itself. First of all, I HAVE to praise Illustrator Isabelle Arsenault's amazing artwork! I have never pictured utensils of the same kind possible of having SO MANY different CHARACTERISTICS! Such an incredible achievement to not make a bunch of spoons and forks to just look like a bunch of lifeless spoons and forks! lol That may sound weird, but I'll say this, I think Arsenault successfully personified the "characters"; I bought it immediately, and never for once viewed them as inanimate objects. I really saw a community, and I felt little Spork's loneliness of feeling left out.
The blurb is sums up the story pretty nicely; it's honestly a straightforward plot, though I believe the symbolism and metaphor are easy to pick up while incorporated within the story in an elegant way. On the official site of the publisher (Kids Can Press), those are the keywords associated with this book:
I think they are SPOT-ON. I think this truly is a great book, telling you that it really is OKAY to be unique! Kind of feel like every kid should be reading this as they grow up xDDD. Would also strongly recommend it to first-time parents, or scratch that, just parents (who care about the mental psyche of their kids), in general!
OMeffingG! This is the cutest book I received via NetGalley so far! So Glad I was approved a copy that I got to read it! 500000000000000*N-star if I could help it! So darn adorable!
I had no idea I'd be encountering Author Kyo Maclear again so soon! The first time I got to read her work was just a month ago, again, thanks to NetGalley:
. I find it to be pretty awesome already (my review), but I'm happily surprised that I even like Spork a whole new level of MORE!!!! I think I just maybe be reading more Kyo Maclear's in the near future. =DOnto the book itself. First of all, I HAVE to praise Illustrator Isabelle Arsenault's amazing artwork! I have never pictured utensils of the same kind possible of having SO MANY different CHARACTERISTICS! Such an incredible achievement to not make a bunch of spoons and forks to just look like a bunch of lifeless spoons and forks! lol That may sound weird, but I'll say this, I think Arsenault successfully personified the "characters"; I bought it immediately, and never for once viewed them as inanimate objects. I really saw a community, and I felt little Spork's loneliness of feeling left out.
(image source: Spork - Extras @ Maclear's official website)
The blurb is sums up the story pretty nicely; it's honestly a straightforward plot, though I believe the symbolism and metaphor are easy to pick up while incorporated within the story in an elegant way. On the official site of the publisher (Kids Can Press), those are the keywords associated with this book:
diversity
embracing differences
individuality
standing out from the crowd
tolerance
I think they are SPOT-ON. I think this truly is a great book, telling you that it really is OKAY to be unique! Kind of feel like every kid should be reading this as they grow up xDDD. Would also strongly recommend it to first-time parents, or scratch that, just parents (who care about the mental psyche of their kids), in general!
July 19, 2012
This little fellow is a bit of both his mum, a spoon, and his dad, a fork: he’s Spork! Myo Maclear’s Spork is a cutlery ode to children of mixed ethnicities, highlighting how there is a place in the world for everyone. You just have to find it. I think it is important to help children explore how we are all different. Many books tackle this topic. What was refreshing about this one was that the characters were inanimate objects, so it can prompt a discussion on multi-racial families or it can be an example of the literary device of personification.
The illustrations are bold, but maybe not all the cutlery is as adorable as Spork himself. Nevertheless, I was left with a good feeling after reading this, and that doesn't always happen.
The illustrations are bold, but maybe not all the cutlery is as adorable as Spork himself. Nevertheless, I was left with a good feeling after reading this, and that doesn't always happen.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 453 reviews