Chef Yasmina and the Potato Panic by Wauter Mannaert
Reviewed By: Alice Mitchell, Youth Services Manager
Genre: Science fiction (graphic novel)
Suggested Age: Kids (7-12)
What is This Book About? Yasmina loves cooking delicious food every day for her dad. She gets fresh vegetables from her friends’ gardens and sends him to work every day with a beautiful lunch. Life is going perfectly until Tom de Perre buys up her friends’ gardens to start industrially farming some suspicious potatoes. Everyone in town starts acting strange except Yasmina and her friends, and when Yasmina’s dad comes home behaving like a dog she has to get to the bottom of those funky spuds.
My Review: I really enjoyed this Dutch import because of its focus on family, friends, and good food. Yasmina is a scientifically-minded and energetic kid who only wants the best for her dad, even going so far as to write him notes in his lunch every day. As science fiction goes this is very accessible, so readers who prefer other genres don’t need to find Yasmina intimidating. This was a neat way to start conversations about different gardening practices, including genetically modified crops and industrial farming. All in all, a fun book to read that’s sure to get you hungry (though maybe not for these French fries).
Three Words that Describe this Book: delicious, fresh, community
Give This A Try if You Like… cooking with your family, Measuring Up by Lily LaMotte, Katie the Catsitter by Colleen AF Venerable, Stepping Stones by Lucy Knisley
Rating: 4/5
