By Erin Wood
If you think reading about cheese is “gouda,” Chintzy Chauncey: A Cheesy Love Story by Hot Springs author Sensei Scribbles is sure to melt you, whether you are eight, eighteen, or eighty. Combining a rhyming tale, educational information about cheeses from Haloumi to Gruyere, and a sprinkle of philosophy, this 42-page book blends flavors, philosophy, and fun.
Chintzy Chauncey follows a greedy, gruff, and kind of gross man who thinks he has found his one true love…cheese! But he soon realizes that, unless shared, it is worthless. The story teaches about love, the importance of sharing, being yourself, making friends, and finding joy. It encourages continuous exploration of cultures, hobbies, passions, and careers.
Scribbles is a culinary enthusiast who enjoys spending his free time whipping up gourmet meals for his family. Through the journey of homeschooling their son, he and his wife learned to creatively teach multiple subjects using food, history, culture, and life lessons.
Inspiration from the book began when the Sensei family actively participated in the “1000 Books Before Kindergarten Challenge” at the Garland County Library. Miss Sensei—who penned the book’s Afterword—shared, “What we found was many weren’t fun, engaging, or lacked a moral/lesson, which we thought was a key component to molding young minds.” This experience, coupled with Sensei’s love of food and philosophy, became the book’s catalyst.
Sensei and Mrs. Scribbles decided to use only one simple illustration of a plate with a round of Pule. Mrs. Scribbles shares, “Unillustrated books boost a child’s imagination and creativity by forcing them to visualize the story themselves, rather than relying on visual shortcuts. They also improve focus, language skills, and critical thinking by requiring deeper engagement with the text.” Enjoy getting your cheese on with Chintzy Chauncey through national retailers.
Hot Springs native Erin Wood is a writer, editor, and publisher in Little Rock. She owns and runs etaliapress.com.
Wood is the author of “Women Make Arkansas: Conversations With 50 Creatives” (2019) and editor of and a contributor to “Scars: An Anthology” (2015).
{Additional book reviews by Erin Wood can be found on our website at TheSpringsMagazine.com/ARBooks.}
