Descriptions, Reviews, etc.
Description:
"What can a potato do? To Peruvian scientist Alberto Salas, they have the power to change the world. Go on the hunt with Alberto for for wild potatoes before they go extinct in this playful picture book biography, gorgeously illustrated by Caldecott-honoree Juana Martinez-Neal."--Provided by publisher.
Brief description:
Sara A. Fajardo is a Peruvian-American writer whose dad constantly reminded her that potatoes are from the Andes. So, she jumped at the chance to work as a consultant for the International Potato Center. Over the years she's learned which potatoes help paint your lips the perfect shade of red, how to cure a sour stomach with potato, and how much we owe the farmers and plant scientists who care for our potatoes. She's never met a potato she doesn't love and wants the world to know that a sweetpotato is as related to a potato as a lemur is to a gorilla. Please don't ever tell her that your favorite potato is a sweetpotato because it will lead to a very long yet loving lecture.
Review Quotes:
Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award Winner
Ezra Jack Keats Award Winner
Orbis Pictus Honor Book
★"Thematic connections to environmentalism and sustainability in our changing modern world, told through a Latinx lens, this is a highly recommended title for all nonfiction collections." -
School Library Journal, starred review
★"A lovely tribute to an unassuming yet impactful changemaker." -
Booklist,
starred review ★"In a warm palette, Caldecott Honoree Martinez-Neal's lush mixed-media illustrations convey Salas's dedication and the potatoes as jewels hiding in an ever-shifting landscape. Fajardo smartly melds playful language with an urgent conservationist message..." -
Publishers Weekly,
starred review ★"[A]n affable, often playful tone and a loose yet incredibly informative narrative peppered with words in Spanish and Quechua, Fajardo recounts the potato expert's adventures in all their glory..." -
Kirkus, starred review
★"This tribute to a contemporary figure will no doubt strike a chord with young readers." -
BookPage,
starred review "Fajardo's playful narrative brings readers along on Salas's quest, touching lightly but directly on other serious issues that affect his work, such as climate change and human encroachment on natural habitats." -
Horn Book "The book is beautifully illustrated in a sketch-like style, with drawings in various shades of brown evoking potatoes and soil. The writing is simple and almost melodic in parts, mixing Spanish and Quechua terms with the English prose." -
Science Magazine Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
Evanston Public Library's 101 Great Books for Kids
Chicago Public Library Best of the Best of the Year
Booklist Editors' Choice List Selection
Outstanding Science Trade Book Winner
A Notable Book for a Global Society
A NCSS Notable Social Studies Book
Virginia Reads Book List Selection
A Bank Street Best Book of the Year
Kansas NEA Reading Circle List
