By Andrea Sara Fajardo
Illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal
Roaring Brook Press, 2025
40 pages
978-1-250-83861-2
Ages 6-10
“Up and down the crooked spine of the / Andes goes Alberto, playing an epic / game of paka paka con la papa, / potato hide-and-seek.” A delightful picture book about Peruvian scientist Alberto Salas describes his travels around the Andes collecting potatoes. He’s hunting down as many potato varieties as he can, racing the clock against climate change and urban development to preserve them. “Scientists study each papa’s superpowers and create new varieties that can grow everywhere, from salty swamps to icy mountain peaks, maybe even one day on Mars.” The writing is lively and playful but always emphasizes the seriousness of Salas’s work. “He collects a potato rainbow with names as sweet as songs. / Azul Sunqu, Puma Maki, Wamanpa Uman / … gifts from the Andes that feed the world.” Hand-textured papers and mixed media were used to create illustrations dominated by rounded shapes and soft golds and browns. End matter includes a “Cultural Dictionary,” “More about Alberto Salas,” and “More about Potatoes,” including the importance of preserving plant diversity. ©2025 Cooperative Children’s Book Center