  | Mac & Cheese : the origin story (Delicious Duos) Author: Benner, Michael | |
| Price: $23.98 | ||
Summary:
When Mac, a lonely noodle from Pastaland, meets Cheese, the lonely, young king of Quesoland, a classic friendship is formed.
| Illustrator: | Hawkins, Alison |
Full Text Reviews:
Publishers Weekly - 05/04/2026 Benner, making his debut, and Hawkins (Time to Go, Larry) load this series starter about the origins of beloved kid food pairings with sharply silly wordplay. Bespectacled Mac, a friendly macaroni inhabitant of Pastaland, has plenty of acquaintances but no real friends-he’s searching, as he puts it, "for a noodle in a haystack." A soulmate quest through other food lands yields no pals but plenty of opportunity for cheerily cheesy punning (Mac tries to win friends with jokes, including "What foods do ghosts eat? Fettuccine afraido!"). Just when Mac is sure he’s doomed to be "Macalonely," the noodle stumbles into Quesoland, where his jokes land, his songs get all the cheeses dancing, and he experiences immediate chemistry with young and "provoloneley" King Cheese. Bright retro-style cartoons match the book’s gonzo energy, filling each vignette with sight gags and expressive food characters whose oversize googly eyes do impressive emotional work. Recasting classic food combos in buddy comedies is a premise with real appetite appeal-and this gooey, good-natured opener is a grate place to start. Ages 4-8. (July) - Copyright 2026 Publishers Weekly used with permission.
