Okapi Tale

by Jacob Kramer, K-Fai Steele (Illustrator)

Now that all animals have equal rights, and the Phantastic Noodler is public property, Beaston is the perfect place for pasta parties. Creatures flock from far and wide to transform string into spaghetti and pillows into ravioli. But things take a turn when a wealthy Okapi-talist sees an investment opportunity. He cuts a deal with the Mayor, buys the Noodler, and suddenly things change for the worse. With privatization come monopoly, exploitation, pollution, and poverty. As for Noodlephant, she’s off in Japan and China, slurping up ramen, soba, and biang biang. What will Noodlephant’s friends face as they struggle to regain their town? Will Noodlephant ever return? And how will Beaston resolve the age old question: To whom does the Phantastic Noodler belong? Read on for a tale of power, politics, and of course … pasta!

Genres: Picture Books, Politics, Animals, Childrens, Social Justice, Food, Travel

56 pages, Hardcover

Published September 1, 2020

Reviews

[Sandy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Politics has no place in the hearts or minds of children. Politics can and should be introduced later in adolescence once a greater understanding of the world and its intricacies can be considered. This author has a clever concept with animals working together but to outwardly attack the aspirations and effort of people as selfish takes the book too far for me to even consider a worthwhile read for my children. I will be avoiding all of his books altogether in the future.

However, I do hope that if this is truly what this author believes, he decided to donate all of the proceeds of his books back to his writing community and that he has given any and all of his spare bedrooms to others who have been less fortunate in their writing successes for their use free of charge as clearly any successes he has earned as an author are not truly only his efforts to enjoy, but gifts of luck to be shared with everyone.

Additionally, if this is a book you choose to read to your children and follows logically what you believe, I challenge you to stand behind your opinions. Give everything you have away and work selflessly for the world. Start with opening your home to the less fortunate. Do not wait for the world to change - change your world for yourself. Yeah, I didn't think you would. Me, I'll continue living in the ideal world of Meritocracy - both Capitalism and Charity are welcomed. Capitalism is not evil, it is necessary for the world to advance and prosper.

[Rebecca Jordan-Glum · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Okapi Tale tells of a town of animals (Beaston) where a communal noodle-making machine is a centerpiece of the town. When an Okapi shows up and discovers the noodle machine, it bribes the mayor and purchases the machine. Thus begins a nefarious spiral into greed, corruption, and the commercializing of the town at the expense of the town's citizen animals. K-Fai Steele's charming illustrations, done in her signature style, bring these complex concepts to life. Every page is packed with a huge variety of townsfolk animals, with new things to discover with every read—reminiscent of the Richard Scary stories I loved as a child. While the underlying message is a serious one, humor can be found throughout in the ridiculous scenarios, (including an impeachment with actual peaches.) Written by Jacob Kramer, The Okapi Tale is a clever warning about capitalism that is perfect for every age.

[Stephanie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I do not understand how this book was accepted for publication. It's too long and too convoluted and too self-aware. I cannot imagine sharing this with my sixth graders, much less a younger child.

[Melanie Gaum · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was excited to read a picture book about my favorite animal, but unfortunately the okapi turned out to be a selfish jerk and the book was a lesson about capitalism, democracy, and public goods being free use. Probably won't work very well for a story time.

[Popo]

Maravillosa secuela de Noodlephant. Ni siquiera es una metáfora, es una clara y directa representación del capitalismo. También demuestra cómo lo que se consigue organizándose (como vimos en Noodlephant) no está asegurado y puede volver a perderse y cómo al final somos toda una clase muy numerosa contra solo unos pocos.

Se habla claramente sobre plusvalía y sobre cómo el patrón explota a sus trabajadores para su beneficio mientras él no trabaja. El caso de la máquina que convierte todo en fideos (the noodleler) es un claro ejemplo de la socialización de los medios de producción y así lo apoyan las canciones sobre cómo la comida, las medicinas, el agua... pero también elementos de disfrute son algo que a todos pertenece y debe pertenecer, sobre todo cuanto cantan "We are entitled to all we've created, including this noodle machine". Igualmente, cuando el okapi dice que compró la máquina de manera justa (como argumentan siempre los capitalistas sobre sus imperios) los animales contestan que eso no existe porque les pertenece a todos ellos.

Acaban con una canción: "when no one owns things, everyone does, we can share all the things that we use".

Como en Noodlephant, podemos ver algo que a la gente le da muchísimo miedo: un lugar desde el que se insta a los niños a organizarse y reclamar lo que les pertenece. No hay nada que dé más miedo que una infancia politizada que se sabe sujeto con poder de acción y que puede tomar conciencia para organizarse.

[Ashleigh · Rating 1 out of 5]

Garbage. Misguided philosophy and loopholes in their logic. Painting a utopia for children built on lies and nonsense. I rarely rate books but this was just really frightening. This is what the author thinks is ideal? Where did they get the endless supply of goods to put in this miraculous machine? No, sorry. Capitalism is not evil in and of itself. I bet the author’s parents benefitted from hard working small business entrepreneurs.

[Marcelaine]

I'm moderately left leaning when it comes to economy and fiscal policy, and this is literally Communist propaganda.

[Tamara · Rating 1 out of 5]

And the award for Worst Book I’ve Read So Far in 2023 goes to . . . The Okapi Tale! Honestly, it was complete rubbish.

Why? I shall tell you.

The whole book is a pro-communism sermon against capitalism. No joke.

The villain is the selfish “okapi-talist,” who purchase the noodle-making machine and ruined the world with his greed. No more butterflies. No more happiness. The environment is destroyed. The people are forced to work for the “okapi-talist” in order to barely survive; before he arrived, the world was perfect because private ownership did not exist.

Meanwhile, the Noodlephant (creator of the noodle machine) is galavanting around the China and Japan, learning how to make more noodles. She feels like something awful has happened and returns to Beaston/Rooville to find that the greedy “okapi-talist” has become rich and everyone is miserable. She leads them in a revolt, and they take a vote to decide that the noodle machine belongs to the people, despite the fact that he paid for it. Then they drive him out of the city, and it’s all butterflies and rainbows again.

It’s not subtle in the least. The animals literally sing about private ownership being bad and “all things common” between them being wonderful. It uses words like “entitled” and tries to portray them in a good light. I mean, come on—“okapi-talist”? Hmmm. Not too hard to figure that one out.

And that’s the book in a nutshell. But it’s so much worse because it pretends to be a fun story for children while it’s really just an obvious attempt at indoctrinating them.

So if you want to read a book that’s like throwing a bucket of communist bricks at your children, I highly recommend this one. Otherwise, don’t waste your time.

[Stephanie Tournas · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the town of Beaston, Noodlephant and her friends enjoy a machine they invented which turns anything into noodles. Animals come from all over to make noodles from the machine. When greedy Okapi arrives into town, just as Noodlephant is embarking on a trip, he buys the machine and starts charging money for the noodles; he builds a big factory where all the animals have to work harder and harder to buy food. Life is hard and feels unfair. When Noodlephant gets home, she organizes a slowdown at the factory, which culminates in a stoppage and a vote on who really owns the noodle machine. Okapi loses, is impeached (is run out of town by animals throwing peaches at him) and life returns to normal.

The story is a parable about capitalism, democracy and the benefits of organizing. While the metaphor about big business versus the public good will go over the heads of the intended audience, kids will get that the animals should have a say in what’s fair. All the terms for noodles – Italian, Japanese, Chinese and Korean – will delight young noodle lovers. The illustrations are great – Steele’s watery colors and heavy black outlines create very appealing animal characters and scenes, and can be enjoyed on their own.

I thought that the message was heavy handed, and that the story would have benefitted from a deep edit, with less political commentary, so that readers could form their own opinions.

[Villain E · Rating 3 out of 5]

This sequel to Noodlephant is more political than the original and strongly left-leaning. An Okapi comes into town to buy the noodle maker, which can take any object and turn it into edible noodles. The townspeople say it's not for sale and belongs to everyone, but the mayor sells it to him anyway. The Okapi creates a factory, stripping the town of its resources to create noodles to sell in stores. The people of the town now need jobs to pay for the noodles, so they all work at the Okapi's factory. Meanwhile, Noodelphant has gone on a trip to eat noodles all around the world. Eventually he comes back to save everybody.

Politically, I'm an independent. In this I see the flaws of right-wing capitalism that the writer intends to point out, but I also see the flaws in left-wing socialism the writer is espousing.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

November 2020 - not quite as amazing as Noodlephant, but still one of the only picture books I can think of that effectively explains capitalism while also being an entertaining story. I'd recommend both books, especially if you're looking for stories incorporating social justice and protest in an approachable way for kids.

[Jj · Rating 2 out of 5]

A disappointing, didactic, and needlessly preachy follow-up to Noodlephant, which struck a good balance and made for a delightful read. But the illustrations are still fantastic, I can't help but enjoy them in spite of the story and overall tone here.

[Catherine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Love it when the kids pick out random books from the library and I get halfway through reading it when I realize there’s a hidden meaning they have no idea about. It’s a fine book - just always caught off guard when that happens. No matter what agenda they’re trying to push whenever this happens to me it automatically makes me rate the book lower (even if it’s something I agree with.) So SPOILER, this book is about capitalism. Ha ha ha.

[William Ramsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic children's book that roots leftism in something already familiar to kids: sharing and having fun! No one needs to own the pasta machine and you don't have to sell the pasta internationally. You can just make and eat your pasta, it's fine. Seriously

[Jacki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as strong as Noodlephant, and I think there are simpler metaphors for explaining ownership of the means of production to kids. The songs grated on my nerves. Bonus points for sabotage with actual shoes, though.

[Andréa]

Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.

[Pinky · Rating 1 out of 5]

Okapi takes a noodle machine that belongs to everyone, later they kick him out of town.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's rare to see a picture book with such an overt sociopolitical message. (It's VERY anticapitalist, if you are wondering.)

[Shani · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little heavy-handed but has a positive message and fun illustrations.

[Madeleine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really, really enjoyed this sequel to Noodlephant, and then I realized the title was a play on Capital and I laughed so hard I almost started crying at work. 10/10.

[Megan Sanks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okapi the capi... talist lol had a good laugh when they impeached the mayor with actual peaches