3 out of 4 stars
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Have you ever watched The Night At The Museum? Because if you've, you would understand the depth of this catchphrase: sleep all day, party all night. Nevertheless, Len Foley provides the same effect to his surprisingly young audience between the age of 3-to 8-year-old. In this overly dramatic children's book, Foley introduces us to his star buddies:
Hey kids!
I'm Arnie, who knows how to dance.
This is good ol' Jimmy, who wears funny pants.
And Marvin who juggles tomatoes, and we are the Four Funny Potatoes!
Hey! Wait a minute, where's our fourth? Benny, where are you?
Hey! I'm not a Po-ta-toe! I'm Benny, the banana. Ba-na-na!
The one and only banana. I'm long and skinny, and shiny and yellow.
I'm just a lovely banana.
Foley embarks on a mission to impress his passionate little audience by marveling them using vivid colors, and lifelike illustrations of silly fruits and vegetables, for example, Sophia, the sandwich, wearing a bow tie. Foley's high-spirited characters add a blend of fun and naughtiness to spice up the interest. In these 28 pages, filled with laugh-out-loud moments, Foley doesn't forget to add the 'learning with fun' concept. The catch of this read is its simplicity which creates the urge for more. Oh! Listen! I can hear kid's screaming, "read it again, mommy!"
This distinctive plot is all creative and full of silliness. Foley uses a rhythmic approach to connect with his audience. The vocabulary used contain volume and identity demanding for attention, is well-edited, except for two minor punctuation errors. It's a fun-loving read that teachers and parents can enjoy with their kids.
I've read many reviews, and I've sensed strongly mixed feelings among the reviewers. In my opinion, this read is exceptionally entertaining, but I wish to recommend parents to read it with their kids, rather than making it a solo read, because of its questionable ending. I found Jesse, the jelly bean, funny when she tossed a watermelon in the air. Inspired by his daughter, Len Foley realized that he wasn't a bad writer, but just followed the wrong sort. I admire Foley's motives to impart young minds with inspiring lessons: the beauty of teamwork, to appreciate unique identity, and to speak up for one's self.
The only point that I highly reflect, in disagreement, is its highly inappropriate ending. I'm not pleased with this, and considering the audience's sensible age, I'm sure they'll be heartbroken. Considering this point, which is hard to ignore, I rate the Four Funny Potatoes 3 out of 4 stars.
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Four Funny Potatoes!
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