"The Couch Potato has everything he needs within reach of his sunken couch cushion. But when the electricity goes out, Couch Potato is forced to peel himself away from the comforts of his living room and venture outside. And when he does, he realizes fresh air and sunshine could be just the things he needs..."
I'm still reading and reviewing the books that Scholastic sent me. I actually read this book to a class of 6th graders when I received my book box. I laughed my entire way through the book and kept making mental notes of all the amazing ways I could use this in my classroom.
The Couch Potato is the story of a couch potato who doesn't want to ever leave his couch. He has all the coolest gadgets to ensure he doesn't have to get up to get anything or do anything. But one day the electricity goes out and the couch potato must get up and DO something. Will he be a couch potato forever?
The figurative language in this book is insane. While I was reading it aloud I was cracking up with all the puns that were in the story and even in the illustrations. This book is packed with puns, alliteration, and personification. The puns were all potato-related and every single one was absolutely hilarious. This would be a fun book to kick off a figurative language unit or to use to teach puns in particular. This book also packs a pretty positive message for kids today. We all need to get away from electronics and get outside. Kids are so glued to their phones or computers or the television that they don't know how to play outside and have fun like a normal kid. Being a "couch potato" can have a negative impact on relationships with others, our health, and our mental state. At the end of the book, it even comments that it's okay to be a couch potato but to not do it every day.
The only negative thing I have to say about this book is that there are pages and illustrations that you need to see to really understand the joke or that it is talking about different items. On one page the couch potato is referencing the different electronic devices that he has, but he never says the name. He says things like, "See? I have this. And this. And this. And one of those...." This continues as there are pictures on the page that go along with the story. It's just one of those things that you need to see so it makes sense as it is being read.
I really enjoyed this book and plan to use it next year during my figurative language unit. I hope my students enjoy the puns as much as I did! I give this 5 stars.
No comments:
Post a Comment