Straw

by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, Scott Magoon (Illustrator)

Overview

First there was Spoon. Then came Chopsticks. Now the last... Straw! The final entry in a trio of favorite "punny" tales reminds readers to savor life's little pleasures, from beloved bestselling and award-winning author Amy Krouse Rosenthal.
Straw has always had a great thirst for being first, slurping up anything in sight and rushing straight to the finish in every situation. But when his speedy streak gets the best of him, it takes a friend to show Straw how to take his time and drink in the amazing world around him. A companion to Spoon and Chopsticks, this warm and wise story--packed with the clever puns synonymous with this popular series--celebrates the joys of slowing down.
Don't miss these other titles in the Spoon series: Spoon and Chopsticks

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781368053457
Publisher:	Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	02/04/2020
Series:	The Spoon Series , #3
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Sales rank:	777,166
File size:	85 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	3 - 5 Years

About the Author

Amy Krouse Rosenthal wrote more than thirty picture books, including Spoon, Chopsticks and Straw; Little Pea; and the #1 New York Times bestsellers I Wish You More and Dear Girl (cowritten with daughter, Paris Rosenthal). A contributor to National Public Radio, TED collaborator and speaker, filmmaker, the creator of a speciality line of keepsake journals, and the author of two groundbreaking adult memories (Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life and Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal), she raised her three children with her husband on a tree-lined street in Chicago. For more about Amy's life, work, and the Foundation formed in her memory, please see www.amykrouserosenthalfoundation.org.

Editorial Reviews

10/21/2019

In this peppy companion to Spoon and Chopsticks, bendable paper Straw, who “has a great thirst for being first,” delights in boasting to his friends when he empties his glass well before they can complete their innate tasks. “Done!” he brags, as a funnel, sand timer, and eyedropper, still plugging along, look on chagrined. But Straw discovers a downside to his competitive craze when he dives into a snow cone and eagerly slurps away, soon experiencing a “Brain Freeze!” that “did not feel good—not even one little bit.” A curlicue glass straw encourages Straw to slow down and savor, advice that Spoon reinforces: “Sometimes you just gotta stop and smell the milk shake!” The late Rosenthal’s trademark wordplay is on full display, as is Magoon’s flair for giving kitchen utensils personality through a revealing shift of googly eyes, a suspicious lilt of an eyebrow, a telltale curve of a mouth. Relaxing in a frozen drink, Straw delivers the tale’s final flip line: when Spoon asks him, “What’s shakin’?” he replies, “Just chillin’. And it’s strawesome.” Ages 3–5. Agent: Amy Rennert, the Amy Rennert Agency. (Feb.)

Publishers Weekly

"Rosenthal's quirky, offbeat humor is sure to entice readers with its silly and clever references, featuring a straw willing to bend toward a new way of life.... Kids should readily identify with the appeal of straw-slurping races, and adults will appreciate the abiding message that taking things slow has great merit."—School Library Journal

"Readers will appreciate the clever, punny text as well as Magoon's colorful, delightfully detailed illustrations.... A simple story, it nonetheless imparts great wisdom in the suggestion that life should be about enjoying the moments and making the good things last."—Booklist

"A cautionary tale about making experiences last. The riotous utensil community Rosenthal and Magoon introduced in Spoon (2009) and continued in Chopsticks (2012) returns for a series conclusion starring a blue-and-white-striped bendable straw who 'has a great thirst for being first.'"—Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

12/01/2019

PreS-Gr 2—A companion book to precursors Spoon and Chopsticks, this third installment about another popular mealtime implement showcases Straw, a stripy fellow with many friends and "…a great thirst for being first." When zipping ahead results in an unanticipated case of brain freeze, Straw starts appreciating the slower, leisurely, and more meaningful hobby of blowing bubbles and stopping to "…smell the milk shake," along with floating off to sleep in a bubbly root beer float. He finally takes the time to savor the juicy red strawberry and swirly whipped cream in his glass. Rosenthal's quirky, offbeat humor is sure to entice readers with its silly and clever references, featuring a straw willing to bend toward a new way of life. Some of the images, however, may be somewhat unclear to youngsters. While goggle-eyed, swirly Krazy Straw is recognizably fun, young audiences may have trouble identifying the other tools used to pick up liquid: an eye dropper, funnel, and others. A turquoise pick in the shape of a palm tree may represent a utensil used to mix adult cocktails, but this will not mean much to children. Overall, kids should readily identify with the appeal of straw-slurping races, and adults will appreciate the abiding message that taking things slow has great merit. VERDICT With such a child-friendly protagonist, children may be more inclined to absorb this lesson. Who wouldn't want to "chill" in a frothy milkshake?—Etta Anton, Yeshiva of Central Queens, NY

School Library Journal

2019-09-29
A cautionary tale about making experiences last.

The riotous utensil community Rosenthal and Magoon introduced in Spoon (2009) and continued in Chopsticks (2012) returns for a series conclusion starring a blue-and-white-striped bendable straw who "has a great thirst for being first." Straw slurps up everything in sight, from the water in a flower bowl to a cup of tea, while friends look on in dismay. Since nobody else seems to be competing with Straw, both his fervor and their unhappiness feel ungrounded. But when Straw tries to speed through an icy drink, he's laid low by brain freeze and "his heart sank," an awfully dramatic response. Straw's friend, a novelty straw with loop-de-loop eyes, helps him appreciate the pleasures of taking in life slowly, and Straw is forever changed, suddenly appreciating the colors, textures, and experiences in the world. At bedtime, a parent kisses him and explains that "what you're feeling is called awe, Straw." By the end, "sometimes he still wants to be first. But most of the time, Straw wants to make the good things last." Magoon's energetic cartoon illustrations are fun to look at, but the lengthy story drives its point into the ground, and neither the problem nor the resolution is interesting enough to convince hasty children to slow down their central nervous systems.

Doesn't quite hit the spot. (Picture book. 3-6)

Kirkus Reviews