Brave Potatoes

The glossy cover did it for me. One glance and I was spellbound, delirious with tuber rapture. The title itself, "Brave Potatoes", is enough to quicken a spudophile's pulse, let alone the cover's image of over a dozen spuds, their faces beaming with delight, their skins glowing under an eerie orange, neon glow, their skinny little arms raised in triumph and delight, as they recklessly ride Zip, the grandest Ferris wheel on the midway. Brave Potatoes,(published in 2000) written by Toby Speed and Illustrated appropriately by Barry Root is an absolute joy and a deep ladle of fun. It is the kind of book one loves to read aloud to children, the kind they want to hear again, the kind one remembers for many years thereafter. The text is rich with rhyme, alliteration, rhythm and unexpected, lexicological twists and turns. The graphic artistry of Barry Root is dramatic, compelling, and exciting with an abundance of shadowy orange and subdued russet. His complex illustrations have an oil painting quality and are a destination in and of themselves, not just a happenstance adjunct to the text. The pictured brave potatoes are not piles of rubber stamped sameness, but individualized and varying in shape, size and expression. The graphics and rhythmic, Dr.Seusian text work in tandem to move this delicious story along. This book by its very nature does not lend itself to easy analysis and categorizing with one of the reading level formulas available to educators. In my research I noticed many sites tagged it with a reading level of grades 1-2. A few gave it a rating of 3.5 grade level. Some of the vocabulary is far beyond the phonic reach of most first or second graders though it may be part of their listening vocabulary. Phrases like Maldonado mushrooms, Bastaboola beets, jubo jumbalays, and armadilly chili, may not be immediately comprehended but they roll off the tongue and are the infectious catalysts of smiles and laughter. Brave Potatoes is a roller coaster ride of a book, a joyous scream not to be missed, and one that demands repeating. What a fantastic film this could make!

My 4 year old daughter grabbed this book off the library shelf at random two weeks ago and now it is our favorite book to read. When this book goes back to the library, our own copy will grace her bookshelf. Our daughter has memorized the entire story and recites it with enthusiasm. Her favorite part is the last page of verse, coupled with the final picture of the chef. "Closed, Gone Fishing"-- it gets a laugh every time. The only trouble is, I think she wants to be a potato when she grows up! A great book.

A fresh and zany adventure (something all too rare in children's literature these days), full of delightful rhythms, rhymes and fun. Root's bright pictures complement Speed's delicious language. Our whole family loved it!

The author of this books is truly a genius: she makes the words sing with wild abandon and fun. Who else writes like this except maybe Carl Sandburg! This and her previous Two Cool Cows are among the most inventive children's books in years. Read this book to a child and watch them laugh at the delicious sound of the words and the story: I did. A truly blue winner, this book.

The language is rich. The alliteration wonderful.