Book Review: “Who Moved My Cheese?”

“Who Moved My Cheese?” by Spencer Johnson is a short book about change. The story is simple, but it’s lessons are powerful. The book is easy to read and understand. It uses a fun story to teach us how to deal with change in our lives.

The book tells the tale of four characters who live in a maze. The characters are two mice, Sniff and Scurry, and two little people, Hem and Haw. They all love cheese. In the story, cheese is a metaphor for what we want in life. It could be a job, a relationship, money, or anything else we value.

At the start, the characters find a big stash of cheese. They are happy and comfortable. But one day, the cheese is gone. The story then shows how each character reacts. Sniff and Scurry quickly move on. They start looking for new cheese. Hem and Haw, on the other hand, struggle. Hem refuses to change. He gets angry and scared. Haw is also scared, but he slowly learns to adapt.

One section I liked is when Haw decides to leave Hem and search for new cheese. He writes on the wall, “What would you do if you weren’t afraid?” This message is strong. It made me think about my own fears and how they hold me back. Haw’s journey teaches us to embrace change instead of fearing it. He realizes that finding new cheese means finding new opportunities.

The book is full of simple yet wise messages like this. For example, Haw writes another lesson on the wall: “Smell the cheese often so you know when it is getting old.” This means we should always be aware of changes around us. If we notice changes early, we can adapt more easily.

I also liked how the story is told in a playful way. The characters’ names are fun and match their behaviors. Sniff sniffs out change early. Scurry scurries into action. Hem hems and haws, resisting change. Haw laughs at himself and learns to move on. This makes the story easy to remember and relate to.

The book is short, so it doesn’t take long to read. Its simplicity is its strength. You can finish it in one sitting, but its lessons will stay with you. It makes you think about how you react to change. Are you more like Sniff, Scurry, Hem, or Haw? The story encourages us to be more like Sniff and Scurry, always ready to adapt and move forward.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the book, if you have read it. Did you enjoy it? Which character did you relate to the most? How do you handle change in your life? Please share your thoughts. Let’s discuss and learn from each other.