Hi there, friends! Did you have a fun day at school? Did you wake up on time and have a yummy breakfast? Did you play with your friends and enjoy the sunshine? That sounds amazing!
Are you ready to read a story with us? Today, we’re reading “Spork.” Do you know what a spork is? It’s a special tool that’s part spoon and part fork! You might have seen one when you go camping. Spork is different, and that’s what makes him special!
Spork is a little bit of a spoon and a little bit of a fork. His mom and dad think he’s perfect just the way he is, just like you! In the kitchen, forks and spoons usually stay with their own kind, but Spork is unique. Being different is great because it makes life interesting!
One day, Spork felt sad because he didn’t fit in. He tried to look more like a spoon by wearing a hat, but the forks thought he was too round. Then he tried to look like a fork by wearing a crown, but the spoons thought he was too pointy. Poor Spork!
Then, something messy happened! A messy thing came to the table, spilling and splattering everywhere. The forks and spoons didn’t know what to do. But guess what? Spork was perfect for the job! He could scoop and poke, just what the messy thing needed!
The messy thing loved Spork and used him happily. Spork finally found his place at the table, just right for the job. Being a little bit of both made him special, just like you!
Remember, being different is what makes you special. Just like Spork, you are perfect just the way you are. Thanks for joining us today! We hope you loved “Spork.” Come back and see us again soon!
Spork Craft Activity: Let’s make our own spork! Gather some plastic spoons and forks. With the help of an adult, carefully cut the top of a spoon and a fork, then tape them together to create your own spork. Decorate it with stickers or markers to make it unique. Talk about how your spork is different from others and why that’s special.
Mix and Match Game: Look around your home or classroom and find items that are a mix of two things, like a spork. For example, a pencil with an eraser or a two-in-one shampoo and conditioner. Share what you find with your friends and discuss how these items are useful because they combine two functions.
Storytime Reflection: Think about a time when you felt different or unique. Draw a picture of yourself in that moment and share your story with the class. Discuss how being different can be a good thing and how it makes you special, just like Spork.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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[Music]
Hey everyone, welcome back to the Storytime Family! Did you have a good day at school today? More importantly, did you wake up on time? Did you have a good breakfast? Did you have fun with your friends? Did you get to play outside and enjoy some sunshine? That sounds awesome!
Now, are you ready to sit down and read “Spork” with us? Well, can you guess what “Spork” is? A spork is a combination of a fork and a spoon. Have you ever seen one? Maybe you have, because when you go camping, lots of people use sporks. But being a spork also means that Spork is different; he doesn’t fit into either section in the cutlery drawer.
You know what? Sometimes we don’t always have to fit in because we’re all special, and being special is the most awesome thing ever! Trust me, you don’t want to be ordinary.
Well, let’s find out what Spork is all about!
“Spork” is by Kyo McClear and illustrated by Isabel Arsenault.
Spork was neither a spoon nor a fork, but a bit of both. I imagined it to be quite useful, really. He had a mom and a dad who both thought he was perfect just the way he was—like you! You’re perfect! But Spork stuck out. We all want to stick out; sticking out is good! Being different is good! Being average is ordinary.
In his kitchen, forks were forks and spoons were spoons. Cutlery customs were followed closely, and mixing was uncommon. Naturally, there were rule breakers—knives who loved chopsticks, tongs who married forks—but such families were unusual. Well, unusual things make life interesting!
One day, after a brilliant time, he was asked, “What are you, anyway?” for the zillionth time. He was passed over when the table was being set. Spork sighed and thought it must be easier to be a single thing, and he decided he would try to pick just one thing to be. Who wants to be just one thing when you can be many things, right?
He thought he should start by fixing his appearance. He put on a bowler hat to look more spoonish, but the forks thought he was too round. Then he made a paper crown to look more forkish, but the spoons thought he was too pointy. Spork wondered if there were other lonely creatures out there with no matching kind who never got chosen to be at the table.
At dinner time, he watched from the drawer while the spoons played gracefully and skillfully balanced boiled eggs. He sat off to the side while the forks raked fancy patterns in mashed potatoes and twirled noodles around in complicated circles like rhythmic gymnasts.
At the end of this and every other meal, Spork looked on while the others enjoyed a bubbly bath in the sink. Oh, poor thing! He never gets used!
Until one morning, a messy thing arrived. This messy thing had obviously never heard of cutlery customs or table manners. This messy thing smeared, spilled, flung, clumped, and dripped without a care.
“Does that sound like you? My kids used to do that!”
“Wait,” said the forks, but the messy thing did not wait.
“Careful,” said the spoons, but the messy thing was not careful.
“Help!” said the forks while the messy thing continued to slop and splatter.
Quick! Set the spoons!
Now, a fork may be good for poking and picking, and a spoon may be fine for scooping and stirring, but this messy thing with slurpy and clumpy half-finished food needed something else—something that could do all sorts of things at once, something flexible and easy to hold, something that was neither spoon nor fork, but a bit of both.
Aha! This is it! This is Spork’s moment!
That’s when Spork landed. The messy thing saw Spork and immediately stopped and gurgled. It grabbed Spork and held him motionless in its fist. It tapped him once and let out a cheerful shriek, then wagged Spork excitedly up and down.
And that’s how Spork finally and happily found his way to the table—just a bit round, just a bit pointy, just right—like you!
So you see, you might think you stick out, but you know what? It’s just sticking out that makes you special.
Thank you for joining us today! Hope you love “Spork,” and remember that you are always special. Give us a like and subscribe, and leave us a comment telling us about what makes you special.
[Music]
Come back and see us again! See you soon! Bye!
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Let me know if you need any further modifications!
