Independent Reading Level: PK-3
Awards: Arkansas Diamond Book Award

Independent Reading Level: Grades k-3
Awards: Arkansas Diamond Primary Award

This was our first book we read in the Food Group series and Dexter LOVES it. It's such a great little story about the Couch Potato and how comfortable it is to be on the couch with all of his things at hand. But when the electricity is blown, and Couch Potato is forced to experience real life outside his home, he realizes all of the great connections he's missing out on! Relationships with people, connections with nature...he still likes the comfortability of the couch, but he learns how important it is to have interpersonal relationships with people and environments. This teaches such a great lesson all while making it fun. Great book, and wonderful series! ( )

I feel called out as someone who is chronically online.

All joking aside, I love the message of this book. Go outside! It doesn't demonize sitting on the couch and watching TV, but it does make it clear that there is more to life than our gadgets. I love that the potato focused on finding a balance instead of chucking all of his gadgets. He has a more fulfilling life, but still has his favorite convenience items. Great book! ( )

A potato does not go outside and then suddenly the electricity goes off. He has to go out and realizes how nice it is.

Located in Lessons bin

Okay, so I compare all of these Jory John books to my favorite one (which is the Good Egg). While they are starting to get redundant and slightly unoriginal, I want to read this one during "Unplug and Be Outside" week. Because that is the premise of this one--getting off the couch, getting away from the screens, and then discovering the world around them.

Funny illustrations included "Mad Yam" "M*A*S*H*E*D Potatoes" "The Catcher in the Fry"....kids won't get the references but adults will. ( )

"I am a couch potato...My favorite place to slouch is on the couch....Why would I ever leave this comfy, cozy couch?" But when the couch potato goes to plug in yet another new device, the power goes out, leaving them in the dark. The couch potato opens a window for light...and ends up venturing out into the world outside, and discovering all the wonderful things that can be done in the fresh air, with friends, in person! But at the end of the day, it's still nice to slouch on the couch.

See also: The Manic Panic by Richa Jha ( )

This NYT best seller tells the story of a potato who has spent all of his life on the couch with extents to stay on the couch. However, when his power goes out one day, he is forced to go outside and he realizes what he has missed out on. This picture book would be great for a 4-5 grade ELAR or PE class. I really liked this books message that you can have a balanced life between technology and real life. This book also has a lot of English characteristics as well. ( )

This book is an amazing representation of how much you can miss for staying inside. In the book, you follow a potato realize that he is not just a couch potato after being forced outside due to a power outage. In today's age, this book would be great to read to students or children to spend too much time in front of a screen and never want to go outside. The placement of the pictures makes the eye move throughout the page and makes the book very engaging. ( )

The couch potato has the comfiest couch in the world, why would it ever leave it? But one day there's a power outage and it discovers that there's some pretty great things about going outside and being with friends.

Not quite as subtle as some of the other books in this series, but cute all the same. As always, I love the many potato puns included in the illustrations. ( )