Give me a show of hands if your children (and, let’s face it, you…) are obsessed with Jory John’s and Pete Oswald’s Seed/Egg/Bean series! If you, like my girls and I, have your hands in the hair, then rejoice, because… There’s a new member of the gang! Today, I’m thrilled to introduce you to The Couch Potato, by the fantastic John and Oswald duo! Read on to get a little insight into this hilarious addition to the series.
*** Affiliate links used. As an affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for considering making a purchase through my links! To read my full disclosure CLICK HERE. A big thank you to HarperKids for sharing this book with our family in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions of this book are my own. The Couch Potato releases everywhere 11/3/20.
You’ve met and loved Bad Seed, Good Egg, and Cool Bean. Well, now, meet Couch Potato, whose “favorite place to slouch is on the couch.” If you’re familiar with the other stories, then you remember that all of these lovable characters learn how to be not quite so bad, not quite so good, and what it really means to be cool. So, you’re probably already excited that Couch Potato is going to learn to be, well, not quite so couch potato-y. And you’re exactly right!
Couch Potato has the best setup he could imagine. He’s got a comfy couch with all the bells and whistles he needs to be nourished and entertained all day, every day, without leaving the couch. Until, one day, the power goes out… What’s a Couch Potato to do without his gadgets, gizmos, games, and shows? Maybe, just maybe, he’ll venture out into the real world. Yes, that’s right, he braves the wilderness of his neighborhood: the fresh air, the wildlife, the nature, and more.
Guess what? He realizes (of course) that he is content! Rather than thinking about his favorite shows or his unanswered texts or whatever else he might be missing from his couch, he appreciates the sounds, the quiet, the smells, the views. And, as with Bad Seed, Good Egg, and Cool Bean, he is forever changed by his experience. He starts to hang out with his real-life friends in person, in real time. But, as with the other characters, I love that John and Oswald help Potato to strike a happy medium… He can find “a better balance between [his] gadgets and the world outside”! (But, other than the lamp that pops out of the arm of his couch, we don’t see him using any of his gadgets again for the rest of the story… Because his in-person relationships, his time outside, and his good book seem to win against the gadgets!).
Message received. And appreciated.
And as usual, adults will appreciate the many potato puns that John manages to work into the story. From the tv show “Man Yam” to the book “The Catcher in the Fry” and much in between, you’ll find yourself giggling right along with your children (though, admittedly, not at the same things, which is one of the brilliant aspects of the whole series — humor for both children and adults, all in one family-friendly book!).
The Couch Potato has been on repeat since we received it from HarperKids last week. What non-Halloween picture books have been on repeat in your house lately?
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