Ada Potato

by Judith Caseley

Ada stops playing her violin after some older children make fun of her but Mama helps her find a way to handle their teasing.

Genres: Picture Books

24 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 1989

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Ada is given a choice of instrument to learn to play at school, she settles upon violin, and soon she loves to play. Every Wednesday she brings her violin to school to play in 'bandestra' - a school band with orchestral elements. But when a group of older kids begin to taunt her on the days she is carrying her instrument, calling her Ada Potato, she stops participating in bandestra, so that she doesn't have to bring the violin with her to school. Then, after a talk with her mother, and then her friends, she finds a way to stand up for herself...

Originally published in 1989, Ada Potato is the second picture-book I have read from prolific author/illustrator Judith Caseley, after her Bully , that addresses the topic of bullying. Although there really are no easy answers, when it comes to helping children cope with bullying, I appreciated the fact that Ada's mother begins by sharing some similar difficulties that she had, when a young girl, as this lets Ada - and through her, young readers and listeners - know that this is something that happens to lots of people. I don't know that the solution here is particularly believable, but it did show Ada regaining some of her confidence, with the help of her friends. Recommended to picture-book readers looking for stories about bullying and/or young musicians.

[zunggg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slightly off-kilter tale of an aspiring violinist overcoming bullying. Likeable enough, though the bullies are rather implausible.

[Cana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mommy says: What happens when Ada gets bullied on her way to violin lessons every day? She and her friends come up with a rousing solution. Special note to Daddies reading the book: Prounce her name with a long A as in "A-duh," not "Add-uh." See how A-da rhymes with potato? Mmm-hmm.

[Heather Bowden · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a typical book about dealing with bullies. But it did have a word that was unknown, and they put the definition in it right after the word. It has a couple of characters and the real world connection is to the bullies, because children have to deal with this, unfortunately.

[Peter]

Of course we checked this one out at the library.