The world of a character is only as big as the fishbowl it lives in. In the world of Rot, a mutant potato; he’s gone from solo stories to familial adventures that have taken place in illustrated books and early reader graphic novels. Tater Tales 2: The King of the World is the second release in this heavily illustrated chapter book series. One could also say that this is the second release in this early reader graphic novel series, and you’d be correct in that observation too. Whichever camp you’re in, this series is a knock-down great time, a hootenanny of early-elementary school joy that kids will laugh at as it’s read to them or grin with silent pleasure as they read it to themselves.
Tater Tales 2 accomplishes this because it’s silly. This is a silly, pun-laden, early reader graphic novel that’s brimming with dirt hues and anthropomorphic vegetable jokes as numerous as the day is long. Young readers will understand this vibe the moment that they see the book’s cover. Rot is on top of a small hill with a crown on his head and a shovel in one hand. Surrounding Rot is his friend, Worm, a pink worm, Tot, his little sister, and Snot, his big brother. There is also a strong backlight behind Rot as he’s supposedly accepted the mantle of king, while his family and friends look on in bewilderment.
It all starts innocently enough with Rot looking for a friend to go spelunking with. He’s unable to find anyone to go with him so he goes by himself and finds a crown that’s been buried for ages. Rot puts on the crown and suddenly feels more confident, as if he’s the king of the world. That’s because this crown used to belong to the pickle people and it made their king mad with power, so the people buried it deep underground. Will the same egotistical fate befall Rot when he emerges from the cave and starts interacting with his family and friends?
The King of the World has a buried yellow submarine. There are dancing pickles. I see a singing yellow mutant potato that looks like a Minion. On the next page, there’s a garden gnome guarding a castle. Rot suddenly can control animals and uses a snake as his transportation. The visuals in Tater Tales 2 are very fun, and silly, have we mentioned that?
The font in the book varies from an old-school typewriter when the story is being presented from a narrational point of view. When the characters are speaking, they’re usually yelling or enthusiastically talking, the font is larger, more casual and scribblier. However, when Rot dons the crown on his head his font becomes a more regal typeset that’s becoming of a king. All of this, when combined with the funny illustrations makes The King of the World a book that kids will need to read many times in order to get or appreciate all of the jokes.
This begs the question of how can an illustrated book that’s so silly, be so intelligent? It’s just that the book is a great example of an all-age graphic novel hitting numerous demographics while having its goal with one key age. Younger readers will enjoy Tater Tales 2 because of the silly story. Those even younger readers will pick up the graphic novel because of the illustrations, but then fall in love with a mutant potato. Older readers will read the book and be able to understand all of the jokes, the visual ones, and the written ones.
At 76 pages long, including eight pages of activities or crafts, The King of the World! is long enough for those emerging readers to build their confidence when they complete the book. The Tater Tales series is longer than the original illustrated book series the Rot wrought. Those books have simpler text and are great for lower elementary-aged students. This graphic novel series (or heavily illustrated book series) has a wider range of interest because they’re funnier, have chapters, have much more going on and offer jokes on multiple levels. Fifth graders who might be behind on their reading level can read this and not be embarrassed that a second grader is also reading it. Let’s compare it to the 500-lb gorilla in elementary school graphic novels, Dog Man. Tater Tales is easier to read then that series and has jokes that hit the same demographics, but in different ways that might be more cerebral. The King of the World! does teach a lesson, but it does so in a way that never loses sight of the silly that brought people there in the first place.
Tater Tales 2: The King of the World! is by Ben Clanton and is available on Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster.
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