Review by Booklist Review
In a real-life game of "paka paka con la papa," or potato hide-and-seek, Alberto Salas scours the Andes Mountains for new potato species. The Peruvian American author and illustrator duo brings the efforts of this scientist and environmentalist to light. Interspersing words and phrases in Spanish and Quechua, an Indigenous language spoken in the Andean region, Fajardo describes in lyrical and imagery-rich text why and how the potato expert continues his search. Farmers count on potatoes to feed the world, but with rising temperatures resulting in more insects and diseases, potatoes are under threat. So, Alberto looks high and low for potatoes to bring to Peru's International Potato Center genebank ("a living library of potatoes"), where researchers develop new varieties to fight hunger. His quest in this narrative is to find the Papa de Zorro, the most elusive wild potato in the region. Caldecott Honoree Martinez-Neal's soft, loosely rendered mixed-media illustrations on hand-textured papers incorporate Andean culture and geography while creating a gritty, tactile experience as Alberto works through the soil. Earth tones allow the potatoes in varying hues to stand out like the treasures they are. Extensive back matter comprises more information about Alberto, potatoes, and plant diversity, and includes a cultural dictionary. A lovely tribute to an unassuming yet impactful changemaker. Simultaneously publishing in Spanish: Alberto Salas juega a la paka paka con la papa.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
"Up and down the crooked spine of the Andes... playing an epic game of paka paka con la papa, potato hide-and-seek," travels agronomist Alberto Salas (b. 1943), questing for "the potatoes of the Americas." In the face of rising temperatures, sprawling land development, and more, scientists study the "superpowers" of potatoes to create new varieties that will thrive in a changing world, and perhaps even on Mars. But these changes also threaten the wild potatoes, and "Alberto's goal is to find them all... before they're lost for good." When the plants flower, "ready or not, potatoes, here comes Alberto"--working off maps handmade and memorized, asking passersby for help, and noting his findings. 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 (Crack Goes the Cascarón) smartly melds playful language with an urgent conservationist message, underlining the importance of Salas's "serious game"-- "a childhood game, helping to feed the world." Biographical information, creators' notes, and a cultural dictionary conclude. Publishing in English and Spanish. Ages 4--8. Author's agent: Nicole Geiger, Full Circle Literary. Illustrator's agent: Stefanie Sanchez Von Borstel, Full Circle Literary. (Mar.)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A potato hunter's game of hide-and-seek nourishes the world in this quirky biographic tribute. Alberto Salas is on a mission: to discover and document all the potatoes he can "before they're lost for good." The renowned Peruvian agronomist--affectionately portrayed as a rosy-cheeked, wiry-haired, squat man clad in a yellow coat--plays the game of potato paka paka (or hide-and-seek), scouring the Andes to support the development and proliferation of potatoes across the world. Each day the growing effects of climate change make his endeavor more urgent. Blending an 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, putting the story into a broader context that makes clear the global issue of widespread hunger. The author homes in on Salas' precise methods and unorthodox solutions, including homemade maps and newspaper pouches to transport plants. Working in paper collage, Martinez-Neal favors dabs of rich colors among broad landscapes of earthy browns and lots of potatoes of different shapes and sizes to bring Salas' potato exploits to life, including his collaboration with Indigenous communities. A robust glossary and backmatter delving further into Salas' work and the diversity of potatoes round out a sublime portrait. Publishes simultaneously in Spanish. A remarkable path to starch-dom. (author's and illustrator's notes)(Picture-book biography. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
