The Couch Potato

The Food Group #4

by Jory John, Pete Oswald (Illustrator)

An Instant New York Times Bestseller * An Instant Indie Bestseller * An Indie Next List Selection Feeling fried? Peel yourself on the couch and meet your new pal-tato! The winning fourth picture book from the #1 New York Times bestselling creators of The Bad Seed , The Good Egg , and The Cool Bean , Jory John and Pete Oswald, will get you and your kids moving! The Couch Potato has everything within reach and doesn't have to move from the sunken couch cushion. But when the electricity goes out, Couch Potato is forced to peel away from the comforts of the living room and venture outside. Could fresh air and sunshine possibly be better than the views on screen? Readers of all ages will laugh along as their new best spuddy learns that balancing screen time and playtime is the root to true happiness. Check out Jory John and Pete Oswald’s funny, bestselling books for kids 4-8 and anyone who wants a

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, Humor, Food, Storytime, Technology

40 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 3, 2020

About the author

Jory John is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and two-time E.B. White Read-Aloud Honor recipient.

Jory's work includes the #1 New York Times bestselling picture book, The Good Egg, and the #2 New York Times bestselling picture book, The Bad Seed, both illustrated by Pete Oswald. He is also the author of the popular picture books, Penguin Problems and Giraffe Problems, both illustrated by Lane Smith, the award-winning Goodnight Already! series, illustrated by Benji Davies, the New York Times bestselling Terrible Two series, the recent picture books Quit Calling Me a Monster! (with Bob Shea), Can Somebody Please Scratch My Back? (with Liz Climo), and the international bestseller, All my friends are dead, among many other books for both children and adults.

Reviews

[Shaghayegh · Rating 5 out of 5]

زندگی تک‌بعدی تا یه جایی می‌تونه پیش بره اما کم‌کم پی می‌بری که به ابعاد دیگه هم‌ نیاز داری. و چقدر این جلد به زیبایی بهش اشاره کرد.

[Dez the Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recommend reading this entire series to you kids.

Great story about a couch potato that learns it’s better outside. Great drawings and wonderfully written! Highly recommend in the parenting quest to teach good and healthy habbits.

[Calista · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this 'bad seed' series chock full of puns by Jory John. I love these cute stories and this one has a great message.

I wish my nephew and niece were young enough to give this a read, but they don't want to read kids books any more. Both of them spend so much time on screens. I wish they would go out and do more in the world, be kids. They are growing up too fast and spend too much time on screens, in my opinion.

The potato has everything to veg on the couch until one day the power goes out and so he goes outside. Jory doesn't want to cut out screens all together, but he does push for a balance between playing outside and screens.

Anyway, another hit by Jory. I loved this. Puns thrill me.

[La Coccinelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This, the fourth installment in Jory John and Pete Oswald's series about sentient foodstuffs, was obviously conceived before 2020 and children became bombarded with the message to stay inside, glued to a screen, lest they kill granny. The Couch Potato is a call to go outside, breathe the air, and explore the world around us... in person.

The illustrations are just as cute as in the other books. But I think I like the message of this one a little more than some of the others. Humans (and potatoes) were never meant to spend all day inside staring at screens. That message is now more important than ever.

Fans of the series will probably love this one. Check it out to add to your tasty collection!

Quotable moment:

[Cassie Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I noticed the stillness.”

During a pandemic one could feel an intense connection to The Couch Potato, you might say.

You is me, I might say, because let’s face it - we’ve been at home. But the one thing that Covid didn’t take away from us is nature. As The Couch Potato is forced out of his comfort zone aka the couch, and in to nature, he finds himself at peace; wondering how much of his time was spent wasted at home in front of a screen, on the couch, as a couch potato. At a time when feeling alone is the norm, it’s amazing what getting outside can really do for the body AND mind, but not to forget your well being depends on relaxing, too.

This book couldn’t have come at a more pristine time.

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reveling in a life of gadgets and non-movement, couch potato thinks his life is perfect. When a power surge strikes, he realizes that you need to get outside and experience life, the beauty of nature, friendships, and exercise. A little balance inspires him to be more than just a couch potato. A cute read.

[Essareh · Rating 5 out of 5]

وِلوزمینی دوست‌داشتنی. :٫)

[Abby Johnson]

Couch Potato loves to sit on the couch, surrounded by screens at all hours of the day. But when the power goes out he just might discover that there's more to the world that's worth exploring. This is a cute book with a positive message about achieving balance between screens and the "real world".

[Ana on the Shelves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adorable illustrations that perfectly combine with this funny story to deliver a very important message. A must read for all the kids and parents, with a bonus of a lot of easter eggs that only the grown ups will get.

[Shafira Indika · Rating 5 out of 5]

GEMESSS BANGET! Ceritanya tentang si kentang (potato) yang duduk di sofanya terus soalnya tu sofa canggih banget! Bener2 tinggal klik klik, dia bisa dapet apa yang dia mau—bisa pijet, nonton, vidcall sama temen, dll. Hingga suatu hari mati listrik dan dia 'terpaksa' keluar rumah dan meninggalkan sofa kesayangannya itu.

Menurutku buku ini kyk reminder utk kita semua bahwa semenyenangkan apapun hal yang kita saksikan di layar gadget kita, secanggih apapun teknologi yang kita punya sehingga kita gaperlu kemana-mana, it would be so much better if we step out to see the real world! Karena gaada yang mengalahkan interaksi secara langsung dan pengalaman yang 'real' instead of virtual.

Keren nih si couch potato mengajarkan kita sesuatu hihi

[TL *Humaning the Best She Can* · Rating 3 out of 5]

*read for free with Kindle Unlimited*

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

“My favorite place to slouch is on the couch.”

Ditto! :)

Couch Potato has everything he needs at his fingertips from headphones to TV to bunny slippers. And of course, the couch. His spot. His kingdom. His “ahhhhh”. But then *gasp* the power goes out! So our spud hero heads outside for fun…YES! outside. Come see what Coach Potato finds up and away from his couch.

I loved the huge humor in the words and faces and little touches here. Like the name of a TV show—Fries (instead of Friends). But it’s the oh-so perfect get out there and see the world message that made this book special for me. It may just inspire readers to *gulp* shut the TV off and go for a walk or ride or adventure outside.

A smashing read! Check it out from your local Library.

[Cynthia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel like this book was a personal attack on how I coped with 2020.



If only Jory John knew what was coming when he published this book...

All jokes aside, this wasn't my favorite Bad Seed book but it was still cute and I really enjoyed the ending.

[Kelly Staten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Couch Potato has the best life sitting around all day in fuzzy slippers on a comfy couch. And with a super cool device that will fetch snacks whenever the spud wants, there’s no need to get up when your goal in life is to be as relaxed as possible! He spends all day, every day hanging out on the couch with his dog Tater.
What makes it even better is all the entertainment right in front of Couch Potato’s little spud eyes. Couch Potato can watch all the TV shows he wants, play video games, check e-mail and live chat with friends – all without leaving the house or the couch.
But one day, after plugging in a brand-new gadget, the power goes out! None of his entertainment devices will work and he can barely find his way through his house. What’s Couch Potato supposed to do now??
Instead of sitting home in the dark, he decides to take his dog Tater for a walk. To Couch Potato’s surprise, he begins to forget about his favorite shows, devices and unanswered messages. He’d missed how the birds sound, the trees look and the air smelled. As Couch Potato is marveling at the forgotten senses of the great outdoors, he’s reminded just how beautiful the world can be when you put down the screens.
“The Couch Potato”, by #1 New York Times Bestselling and award-winning author Jory John, is a delightful story that will teach children in preschool to age three the value of unplugging in a technology driven world. Parents will appreciate Couch Potato’s humorous personality and will have fun laughing along with their children as Couch Potato rediscovers all the things he’s been missing.
The accompanying illustrations by Pete Oswald, who has worked with Jory before on previous titles like “The Bad Seed” and “The Good Egg”, really bring the story to life. They also add to the light-hearted, funny elements as we see Couch Potato hamming it up with his friends, which he fondly refers to as “best spuddies”.
And while the moral of the story stresses balance between devices and the outside world , “The Couch Potato” also teaches children that relaxation inside is important too and it’s ok to veg out on the couch every once in a while.

[Kaitlyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love how punny all the little parodies are inside Jory John's books! They always crack me up. I think that may be the reason I love reading all these books.

I especially love how this book promotes getting outside and walking around instead of being a couch potato. We are meant for more than just being connected to electronics. This book has a wonderful point.

Series Rating: (4.5 ⭐️ average)
The Bad Seed ★★★★☆
The Good Egg ★★★★★
The Cool Bean ★★★★☆
The Couch Potato ★★★★★

[Kaui · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun children's book about a Couch Potato. Illustrations are charming. Text is simple. Message is accepting and encouraging - how a couch potato might, just might, feel like getting off the comfy cozy couch to... go for a walk outside. WOT. But let's not overdo it, only sometimes. Because the couch is comfy and cozy and that's a nice place to be too.

Great book for the 3-8yo in your life.

[BiblioBeruthiel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly, very poor timing to tell kids they should be spending more time socializing and not at home. This maybe should have been delayed.

This book also barely skirts being one of those books that seems like the picture equivalent of an old man shaking his fist at some kids and grumbling 'darn cell phones.'

[Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Не винаги удобния диван е най-хубавото място. Да гледаш залеза без да имаш бутон за превъртане, да тичаш навън с приятели, да четеш книжка - ето това също е хубаво. И не само ти си доволен, но и кучето, което е на разходка с теб. Всяка книжка от поредицата е забавна и защото има много игри на думи: "Най-печеният картоф, който познавам е най-добрият ми приятен", "Старецът и пюрето".

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect timing to share as a read aloud as many students are spending more and more time in front of a screen and on the couch. Get out and enjoy the one thing the pandemic didn't take away from us---nature!

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great, laugh out loud read. I would definitely recommend this.

[Ame · Rating 4 out of 5]

"It looked like a desktop background...only it was real."

Who can't relate to the weird rapture of being outside if it's been awhile? I'm feeling that this year more than ever before!

[syifa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'M ON MY WAY TO READATHON THIS SERIES CAUSE I'M FEELING THE SAME :( and somehow need the way out like the couch potato does

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Andddd I want to cry a lot that this book needs to exist

[Joana Alves | Juca Mindscape · Rating 4 out of 5]

Um livro super fofo que combina ilustrações bonitas com uma mensagem incrível que visa mostrar aos mais pequenos o equilíbrio entre os equipamentos electrónicos e a natureza 🥰
Com um tom engraçado é uma delícia de ler!

[Michelle Olson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love all the potato puns!

[Tatiana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Due to the pandemic, a lot of us can relate to the star of The Couch Potato this year, but the lure of convenience offered by ever-advancing electronics predates 2020. Now it's all too easy to stay inside, have literally everything delivered to our front door, and communicate to others through only virtual mediums. It's all too easy to forget there IS an outside world that we're missing.

I really love the message of this book, the 4th in The Bad Seed series by Jory John. We might fall prey to technology, catch a rash of social aversion, or even get too "comfortable" in a bubble of convenience. But there is a way to balance. To spend time with friends and still binge Netflix. To be more well-rounded potatoes, so to speak.

I can see this resonating with my 4th grade students, who love their Tik Tok, yet still treasure in-person friend-time.

[Gavin Luscombe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing book, targeting our younger generations that seem to be glued to their electronic devices. It shows how much of our lives are being consumed by our phones, televisions, and other electronic gadgets. This was also a huge wakeup call to myself! I love to get outside and explore but I seem to find myself scrolling through Instagram or Snapchatting people a lot more often than being outside seeing this wonderful world. I would love to read this book out loud to a 1st or 2nd grade class as I cannot tell you how many times I've sat at dinner in a restaurant to look over and see a young child glued to their phone instead of engaging in conversation. This new generation needs help and this book is a great start!

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE COUCH POTATO is another funny picture book by Jory John. Couch Potato has a pretty laid back, comfortable life. One day the power goes out and Couch Potato quickly becomes board and sets off on a walk outside. Being outdoors quickly reminds Couch Potato of the beautiful world all around and the realization of what's being missed when inside eyes fixed on a screen.

Readers will connect with Couch Potato in so many ways. This would be a great read aloud in a classroom to remind kids about screen time. Parents who are wanting to nudge their kids away from the screen will definitely appreciate this book.

This book would make for a great holiday gift!

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

John & Oswald move into Potato World. Couch Potato spends his entire life on his couch. He has several screens to watch tv, play games, and respond to messages. He also has a doorbell camera and a camera to talk to his best friend. He even has a device that gets him snacks and gives massages. It's fantastic! Then . . . the electricity went out so he went outside. It had been a while, but the colors were amazing, it smelled fresh and he got to watch a sunset. It was spectacular! So he made a pact to meet his friends outside and actually move around or they can stay indoors and play board games together.

[Ashley McMullen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Out of the Jory John books I've read, this one is my least favorite. It's still very cute, and I loved the puns and TV show names especially, but I am finding it difficult to pinpoint which age group would be most affected by this message. The overall message of enjoying the outdoors and how fun it could be doesn't feel as appealing in its writing the way staying inside was described. (Maybe my adult perspective is just too biased! Lol, even though I love the outdoors.)

The pictures? Adorable, cute. The puns? Adorable, cute. The overall writing/story arc? Could have been stronger for me.

Still a super enjoyable read though! :)