The Big Cheese (The Food Group)

“The Big Cheese,” written by Jory John and Pete Oswald, is a cute story with plenty of cheesy puns. The wheel of cheddar likes being “the big cheese,” as he’s good at everything and loves the adoration and praise that goes along with it. It isn’t until Wedge goes against him in the Cheese-Cathlon that he begins to get worried about his standing in the community. He wants to continue to be the best, but when things don’t go his way, he’s left to wonder what comes next. Is he going to continue to try to be the best at all costs, no matter who or what he has to leave in his dust, or is he going to realize the power that losing can have, in that it can be a giant release, allowing him to explore more of who he is and what he stands for in life?

“The Big Cheese” discovers much about himself in this adorably illustrated tale of exploration, identity, and character growth. One’s relationship with others is important, but not necessarily as important as the relationship one has with himself. Finding a way to shape one’s own identity in an effort to become better, stronger, and kinder is a vital part of learning more about oneself.

The Big Cheese is used to being the first place in everything. He is used to adoring fans and for the topic to always be about him. That all changes when a new cheese, Wedge Wedgeman, comes and wins the Cheese-Cathalon. The Big Cheese has big emotions to deal with, having never failed before. However, thankfully Wedge is a great role model for being a quiet and humble winner on and off the field and shows the Big Cheese a better way.
This book has so many positive things going for it. It has vibrant and engaging illustrations. The message is wonderful about dealing with setbacks and getting out of your comfort zone, learning from mistakes, and being humble. The text lends itself well to being read aloud with lots of emotion and an invitation to participate during the refrain about him being the Big Cheese. I loved the vocabulary used in this text. For an older reader, this had great multisyllabic words to practice decoding skills with while still being comprehensible and enjoyable to read. Overall, this is a great addition to the Food Group series that tackles emotions and feelings in a positive way.