Published: 7th November 2023
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Illustrator: Pete Oswald
Pages: 40
Format: Picture Book
★ ★ ★ ★ – 4 Stars
The Big Cheese is the best at everything, and brags about it, too. When the annual Cheese-cathlon comes around, the Big Cheese is prepared to win, as always. But what happens when the quiet new kid, Wedge Wedgeman, comes out on top? Is a slice of humility all the Big Cheese needs to discover that some things are better than being the best? Jory John is an instant read for me so of course The Big Cheese was on my list. I hadn’t thought much about what this trait theme was going to be but from the early pages it is evident it’s bragging, or arrogance.
The usual puns are there, this time cheese related. Cheese’s desire to be a big shot meant they worked hard and made a name for themselves but also only doing things they would excel at so they’d always win. I liked the direction the story takes having Cheese learn some humility without it being a takedown of their character. It is a self-taught lesson and one that Cheese discovers through reflection and not from conflict with another character.
There is always so much to love about John’s books and aside from the key messages the story itself is always delightful. I am fascinated by the events of the Cheese-cathalon which include chess, bread buttering, hat making, and sheep herding. It’s a great mix of activities, a little bit of everything to meet everyone’s interests.
I love these food worlds that John creates as it generates a range of questions about the wider world like how can cheese herd sheep but also grow up in what is clearly a human sized kitchen? Despite the questions, the stories are always solid and the message is never forced, developing naturally around the character and their life.
The illustrations are brilliant as usual. The distinct colour pallet and style we’ve seen in other Food Group books is there and the design on these various cheese types is cute and clever. Oswald has brought this cheese world to life with fun characters and cute background features.
Big Cheese learns about humility and being a gracious loser, and understands that winning all the time is actually stressful. Not to mention that not being in the spotlight all the time, and learning to accept defeat, can improve a range of other areas in their life. It’s a great lesson for readers to learn and an added bonus that it’s told in such an adorable and humorous way.
You can purchase The Big Cheese via the following
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