"A joyful celebration of imagination through playful poetic storytelling..."

• ASIN: ‎ B0DHTH4Z93
• Publisher: ‎ Rabbit House Press
• Publication date: ‎ October 2, 2024
• Language: ‎ English
• Print length: ‎ 128 pages
• ISBN-13: ‎ 979-8990783362
• Genre:  Nursery Rhymes

The BookViral Review:

Some poetry collections invite readers to admire language. Spooning with Mojo invites them to play with it. Laura Chester has created a joyous collection that celebrates the boundless imagination of childhood while quietly acknowledging the emotions that accompany growing up. Although presented as a collection of individual poems, the book possesses a carefully sustained emotional progression, capturing the journey from playful absurdity and animal antics towards friendship, empathy, resilience, belonging and, finally, the gentle comfort of saying goodnight.

From the opening pages, Chester demonstrates an effortless command of rhythm and sound. Her verses skip, bounce and tumble with the musicality of classic nursery rhymes while remaining unmistakably contemporary. The playful spirit recalls the tradition of Mother Goose and the witty verse celebrated by Ogden Nash, influences the author herself acknowledges in the book’s introductory material. Yet Chester’s voice is entirely her own—warm, mischievous and delightfully unpredictable.

Animals dominate much of the collection, not simply as comic characters but as mirrors through which children can recognise themselves. Dogs longing for their families, goats behaving like toddlers, squirrels negotiating family life and fantastical creatures performing impossible feats all become vehicles for exploring affection, curiosity and loyalty. Poems such as A Whiff of Mom, Mojo the Wonder Dog and Sir Barksalot capture the unconditional devotion between people and animals with genuine tenderness while never sacrificing the playful humour that defines the book’s personality.

As the collection progresses, the emotional palette subtly broadens. Alongside the exuberant nonsense are poems addressing loneliness, friendship, self-identity, anxiety and emotional wellbeing. Pieces such as Rainstar, Why Oh Why, Purple Plum and Someday acknowledge feelings that many young readers experience but may struggle to articulate. Chester never preaches or offers simplistic solutions. Instead, she validates emotions with compassion, allowing hope to emerge naturally through kindness, imagination and connection.

Humour remains one of the collection’s greatest strengths. Chester delights in linguistic acrobatics, inventive rhymes and delightfully unexpected punchlines. Poems such as The Bratty Hole, Hippo Drone, Pouter and A Stable of Unicorns revel in absurdity while displaying remarkable technical precision. Children will enjoy the infectious repetition and comic imagery, while adults will appreciate the craftsmanship required to make seemingly effortless verse read so naturally aloud.

The partnership with illustrator Phil Knoll elevates the experience further. Although the poetry stands confidently on its own, Knoll’s illustrations complement the verse with equally playful imagination, reinforcing the collection’s whimsical spirit and inviting readers to linger over every page. Together, words and artwork create an immersive reading experience that encourages repeated visits rather than a single reading.

Perhaps the collection’s greatest achievement is its refusal to speak down to children. Chester recognises that childhood encompasses delight and disappointment, confidence and uncertainty, silliness and sincerity. By embracing every one of these experiences, she creates poems that reward repeated reading, offering new delights as children mature while giving adults a welcome reminder of the imaginative freedom they once possessed.

The collection concludes with a peaceful bedtime farewell that leaves readers with warmth, reassurance and hope. It is a fitting ending to a book that consistently celebrates imagination as both entertainment and emotional refuge, sending its audience gently towards dreams with a final wish for peace.

Spooning with Mojo is an enchanting, beautifully crafted collection that deserves a place on family bookshelves, classroom reading corners and bedtime tables alike. Rich in humour, heart and lyrical inventiveness, it is a book that children will treasure and adults will return to with equal pleasure. It reminds us that poetry need not choose between laughter and wisdom—it can embrace both, leaving readers of every age smiling long after the final page has been turned.

Spooning with Mojo will appeal to readers who cherish imaginative children’s poetry that values rhythm, humour and emotional warmth in equal measure. Fans of the playful nonsense of Shel Silverstein, the linguistic inventiveness of Ogden Nash and the timeless charm of traditional nursery rhymes will find much to enjoy here, while its gentle reflections on friendship, family, kindness and growing up give the collection a depth that rewards shared reading. Ideal for families, classrooms and bedtime story collections, Laura Chester and Phil Knoll have created a book that celebrates the enduring power of poetry to spark imagination across generations.

It is highy recommended Golden Quill read!