Review Detail

Mac & Cheese: The Origin Story is a hilarious picture book by Michael Benner that tells the tale of how mac and cheese became an iconic pairing. Mac is a piece of pasta who loves being social and meeting new noodles, but despite his best efforts, he still feels all alone. Driven to find his missing half, He ventures to Quesoland, where he meets King Cheese. The two quickly bond over their shared feelings of loneliness, ultimately discovering true friendship together.



What I liked: The illustrations are fantastic! They are bright, colorful, and perfectly complement the story's high energy. While it is a genuinely funny book, it also has a surprising amount of heart. Young readers will easily empathize with Mac and Cheese's feelings of isolation, making their journey to find connection both relatable and incredibly sweet. The text is packed with clever food puns that adults will easily chuckle at, even if some of the wordplay goes over the heads of younger readers.

I highly recommend this book to young readers who love a good laugh, a heartwarming friendship story, and a side of mac & cheese.