THE LITTLE CHEFS

Prolific author and illustrator Wells returns with three stories of kitchen disasters saved by the Little Chefs.

In the first tale, when a kitten named Sylvie burns the chicken pot pie she made as a surprise for her mama, she uses the tiny hidden phone in the kitchen to call the Little Chefs, tiny humans, diverse in terms of hair and skin color. They “whip up a supper fit for a queen” before disappearing quickly, leaving a clean kitchen in their wake. The Little Chefs show up in the next two stories to help Leo, a young porcupine who makes a mess while attempting to prepare French toast and raspberry meringue for his father, and then Oscar, a bunny who uses salt instead of sugar while making a cake for his sister, Pearl. The main characters are darling, anthropomorphized animals, reminiscent of characters in Wells’ past work. Each entry begins with a little blurb titled “Little Chefs in History” that offers a related culinary anecdote. The rhyming refrain of the Little Chefs’ call ties all three tales together, though they can also be enjoyed individually. Adults will appreciate the glorious idea of a salvaged meal, and children will delight in the wonder of tiny cooks who visit from a faraway land and disappear without a trace.

Pure magic.