Mac and Cheese and the Personal Space Invader

by Jolene Gutiérrez, Heather Bell (Illustrator)

Overview

Mac and Cheese are the class guinea pigs, and Oliver is their biggest fan. So he watches them to learn how he can be a good friend. But while snuggling might be fine for guinea pigs, Oliver’s classmates don’t like him getting into their personal space bubbles. With the help of his teacher and classmates, Oliver learns that being a friend means respecting personal space.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781950169252
Publisher:	Spork
Publication date:	08/11/2020
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	11.00(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.25(d)
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

Editorial Reviews

“At a time when parents and teachers struggle to teach kids about how close is too close—what is appropriate

personal space—here comes Mac and Cheese to gently show the way.”

—Avi, winner of the Newbery Medal and author of over 75 books

“Adorably illustrated and gently written, Mac and Cheese is a delight.”

—Elana K. Arnold, award-winning author of A Boy Called Bat and What Riley Wore

“Mac and Cheese and the Personal Space Invader is a cute and fun book helping to explain the character’s struggle with understanding human proxemics...First, to help children who struggle with non-verbal processing learn some skills and secondly, to help students who naturally understand human relationships have understanding and compassion for those

who don’t.”

—Craig A. Knippenberg, LCSW, M.Div., author of Wired and Connected: Brain-Based Solutions To Ensure Your Child’s Social and Emotional Success.

From the Publisher

06/01/2020

K-Gr 2—After observing the class guinea pigs snuggling, Oliver decides to move closer to the other kids in his classroom. Although he is simply trying to make friends, Oliver learns a tough lesson about personal space.His compassionate teacher, Ms. López, explains to him that he should ask first before entering someone else's personal space. The book has some pleasing compositions, such as the framing of text inside a hula hoop. But it also has some confounding ones. For example, when one child yells about his personal space, the hand-drawn font is radically different than any other text in the story, and which is out of place with the rest of the pastel palette. VERDICT The lesson about personal space is valuable, but the text lacks charm and the book's artwork detracts from the message. And although the book is named after two guinea pigs, they barely feature in the tale.—Chance Lee Joyner, Haverhill P.L., MA

School Library Journal

2020-07-03
Personal-space invaders are not popular—as narrator Oliver soon finds out.

He can’t understand why what works so well for Mac and Cheese, the classroom guinea pigs, does not work at all for his classmates. Nina does not want him squeezing in close as she snacks. Pedro does not appreciate Oliver’s snuggling on his reading pillow, and Dustin definitely does not want Oliver’s face rubbing against his shoulder. Mrs. López helps the boy by suggesting he use a hula hoop to understand the concept of personal distancing. Oliver’s “space project” earns the class the essential point required for a field trip. Gutiérrez’s simple story, sprinkled with a few Spanish words from the teacher, lacks the context needed to explain why this young, apparent middle grader has no socialization skills, introducing his difficulty with the simple line “I’ve always wondered how to be a good friend.” The author’s note discusses how acceptable personal-space boundaries can vary culturally and individually but does not illuminate Oliver’s particular challenges further. Bell’s retro illustrations run the gamut from cute—a guinea pig sneaking almonds at snack time—to alarming: Mrs. López fails either to use the inside of her elbow when sneezing or to cover her mouth in time. The sketches in future-scientist Oliver’s notebook help to add some warmth to the proceedings. Oliver has glasses and beige skin; his classmates are diverse.

Insufficient context leaves the message obscure. (Picture book. 5-8)

Kirkus Reviews