My Life as a Potato

by Arianne Costner

For anyone who has ever felt like a potato in middle school, this hilarious story about a boy forced to become the dorkiest school mascot ever will have readers cheering!

"A grade A, spudtastic (not to mention FUNNY) debut. Arianne Costner sure knows middle school and middle schoolers!" --Chris Grabenstein, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library

Ben Hardy believes he's cursed by potatoes. And now he's moved to Idaho, where the school's mascot is Steve the Spud! Yeah, this cannot be good.

After accidentally causing the mascot to sprain an ankle, Ben is sentenced to Spud duty for the final basketball games of the year. But if the other kids know he's the Spud, his plans for popularity are likely to be a big dud! Ben doesn't want to let the team down, so he lies to his friends to keep it a secret. No one will know it's him under the potato suit . . . right?

Life as a potato is all about not getting mashed! With laugh-out-loud illustrations throughout, hand to fans of James Patterson, Gordan Korman, Jeff Kinney, and Chris Grabenstein!

"A hilarious, relatable story for any kid who has ever felt out of place." --Stacy McAnulty, author of The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl

Genres: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Humor, Fiction, School, Contemporary, Childrens

288 pages, Paperback

First published March 24, 2020

About the author

Arianne Costner lives in the middle of the desert with her husband and four children. She is a former English teacher who believes that writers should crack up at their own jokes. When she isn’t writing, she can be found playing the piano and composing music. Her favorite kind of potato is the tater tot, with mashed potatoes coming in close second—as long as they’re not gluey. Check out her middle grade books, MY LIFE AS A POTATO and CONFESSIONS OF A CLASS CLOWN

Reviews

[L A i N E Y (will be back) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh the obscurity of this gem hurts my heart.

I feel this is what kids and adults alike should be reading. I love how wholesome and unjudgmental it is. The whole book and its main character Ben are so earnest. Potato is, as we know, also a solid little vegetable and also earnest!

Reading My Life as a Potato, I just couldn’t stop smiling! I’m so happy for Ben for conquering his lifelong potato curse! He so deserved it after everything he went through and how hard he worked. But my oh my, poor Hunter - stay strong little man, I’m rooting for ya!

Thank you for a wonderful time with these precious characters, Arianne Costner. I am looking forward to Confessions of a Class Clown next year.

[Arianne Costner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Edit: THANK YOU to all who have read! It has been fun to see Ben's story being enjoyed by so many.

If you have a minute to spare, I would love if you could also drop a review over on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/review/create-...

Stay Spudtacular
—————

Hey everyone! Author here. Thanks for being on this page. This book is so close to my heart. I had way too much fun writing it (I basically spent the months I drafted it cackling maniacally to myself 😆) I hope you enjoy MY LIFE AS A POTATO. I hope it lets you laugh/forget about problems/etc, if for just a little bit. ❤️

[Kynzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my sister's book! I am eleven. It was a very good book. I like potatoes. It was funny.

[Kristie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun middle grade book that I read with my grandson. There are some good lessons about friendship and honesty. My grandson and I both enjoyed it.

[Sophie's Reading Corner · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I'm not the salami king. I'm the dork behind the potato mask."

Ben has recently moved to Idaho because of his father's new job and he wants to get rid of his previous school image of the quiet, dorky kid. So he does something that makes him popular to his schoolmates, but that also grants him a punishment from school. He has to be the school mascot for the next few basketball games and that's a problem for Ben because he will lose his cool image and also the school mascot is a spud and our hero is cursed by potatoes and hates them. Therefore he lies to everyone and tries his best for his secret to not be revealed.



I really enjoyed this book!! I don't remember when was the last time that I had read a middle grade , but this one was so cute, funny and just refreshing. I loved the dialogues, the scenes, the inner monologue our hero had. I found it to be realistic, but also with an exaggerating note, that probably is a common fact to all humans of this age.

The book was fast paced, the hero is likeable, even when he lies, he has a kind heart and he learns from his mistakes. We get to meet many interesting secondary characters and we get to see the character development Ben had to go through, after all the shenanigans he got into to keep a balance between the cool image he wanted to maintain and his real dorky character and his real friendships. I also loved all of the Harry Potter references!

Definitely recommend this one to all of our little bookworms, but also to the older ones who enjoy cute and funny stories :)

ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review.

[Melissa (thereaderandthechef) · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Huge thanks to Random House & MTMC Tours for the review copy. All thoughts are my own. This review can also be found on The Reader and the Chef!*

I ADORED My Life as a Potato! It’s funny and full of potato content as our main spud hero, tries to lead a normal potato-free life (he HATES potatoes and is most probably cursed by them) while navigating a new school that just so happens to have a potato as its school mascot. And now, after an unlucky hot-dog tossing game, he is now tasked to become his worst nightmare. *Cue the potatoes*

I had the time of my life reading about Ben and his antagonism towards potatoes! This reminds me of my sister who HATES, absolutely HATES, a fruit called “Jicama” and every time I mention them she stops specifically anything she’s doing to hiss “I hate Jicamas”. I love it. Makes me laugh every time and now I will forever remember Ben and his potatoes.

But for real, being the school mascot sounds like a nightmare and being a potato is just SMASHING. Ben is extremely embarrassed by his newly found Potato Status and thus begins his secret life as Steve the Spud. So many potato shenanigans ensue in this heart-warming, laugh-out-loud, and giver of second-hand embarrassment Middle Grade novel about trying to fit in with new friends (perhaps even get a date for the school dance) and of the world’s dorkiest but most spudtastic mascot ever.

Go read it now!!!

[Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I adored this sweet book about being awkward and growing up. It's a fun read that really made me smile through most of it. It really needs to be on more reading lists. I feel it's perfect for the reluctant readers out there!

This unbiased review is based on a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this is NOT my usual pick, I challenge anyone to read a book about a kid dressed as a potato and not find it funny.

[Olivia Wildenstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funtastic

This was one of the funniest and cutest middle grade books I’ve read. Right on par with The Wimpy Kid.

I laughed and grinned and held my breath during Ben’s adventures as a spud.

I read this out loud to my kids (ages 7 and 10) at bedtime. Suffice to say, this wasn’t a good idea, because they were always requesting, “one more chapter, Mom.” They both LOVED it and took away such different things from the same story.

Arianne, I’m going to be buying this book for all the kids I know, and I know A LOT of kids. Thanks for the ARC.

[Stephanie Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

An absolutely hilarious book about the trials and tribulations of being a middle-school mascot!
The author was spot-on with her descriptions of pre-teen drama. I am sure that middle-schoolers (and older readers) would get a huge kick out of reading about a mascot struggling to keep his identity a secret!

[Stefanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Life as a Potato is a hilariously a-peeling story! (Couldn’t resist a potato pun!) You will laugh out loud reading this story about a Ben, a middle schooler, who thinks potatoes have jinxed his life. After a hot-dog tossing incident in the school cafeteria, Ben’s punishment is to sub as the basketball team mascot, a Spud! In order to save face with his new friends, Ben keeps his “double life” as a Potato a secret from them. But when his tater stunts aren’t well received at the games, Ben’s middle school life takes a turn for the worse. A spud-tacular debut by Arianna Costner!

[Sarah Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, I adored this book so much! This book comes out on March 21st and is the PERFECT read for fans of Diary of Whimpy Kid who are ready to level up. The story is about Ben Hardy, an LA kid who was recently transplanted to Idaho and through various shenanigans finds himself secretly sentenced to several weeks as the school mascot, Steve the Spud. Ben is my favorite kind of protagonist--the kind who doesn’t wallow, and who looks at the bad and hard things coming his way and jumps in with both feet (quite literally, at one point). He is utterly endearing and earnest. And the other characters are just as fun! The story builds perfectly to a puntastic, potato-y climax and one of my favorite MG first kiss scenes I’ve ever read. One of the funniest books I’ve read in a while and totally had me laughing out loud.

[Shannon Doleski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is there a potato dish that's sweet, because this book is it! Kids are going to love this fast-paced, super-relatable middle-grade! It's got adorable illustrations, a narrator debating between being cool and authentic, and it's perfect for older middle school reluctant readers! Read it!

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This debut novel was a 3.5 for me. If you're looking for a middle grade novel filled with laugh-out-loud moments plus a great message about being true to yourself, look no further. After Ben Hardy's family relocates to South Fork, Idaho, for Los Angeles, he figures the move might offer him a chance to reinvent himself. He makes a couple of friends, but then, while showing off in the school cafeteria to impress some of the jocks, he lands in trouble. To avoid a suspension, Ben agrees to substitute for the school mascot, Steve the Spud, while the mascot he injured during the cafeteria fracas recovers. But he is determined to keep his identity a secret, even from his friends. After all, a potato suit is hardly the path to popularity. At first Ben is not really into his role, but eventually he realizes that mascots can fire up the team and the fans. Even while he continues to hide his extracurricular activities, some of his secrets are spilling out, and he comes close to losing the friends he's already made. Middle grade readers will relate to Ben's need to fit in and his struggle to be comfortable with his own skin. The author does a fine job in describing the very real conflict between being considered cool by others and being honest with others and true to oneself. Some of his antics and dances were hilarious, and there is much potato-related humor in the story. While the story is set in Idaho, other than references to cold weather and the mascot, it could have taken place in just about any middle school in our country. Certainly, the book begs the question of what makes someone or something cool or popular.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Life as a Potato by Arianne Costner, 257 pages. Random House, 2020. $17.

Content: G (mild fighting and threats)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Bad enough that Ben has moved from California to Idaho – but he has been cursed by potatoes! Up to mischief, trying to fit in, its Ben fault the school mascot has been hurt. As penance, Ben must take over while the real mascot recuperates. Yuck! Not only is the mascot a potato, but Ben has no school spirit. How can he keep the couple of friends he has from knowing his new role, get closer to the girl he has his eye on, and do his part to root the basketball team to victory? Without getting into his normal trouble, too.

Ben’s challenges are absolutely hilarious! His earnestness is endearing and his ingenuity as he overcomes his challenges – lack of school spirit, earning the ire of the basketball team, etc. – and his antics as he tries to juggle everything will keep the reader’s attention. Akin to Patterson’s Middle School books for humor and action.

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2020...

[Kim Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

What’s worse than being the new kid in school, but the new kid who is forced to wear the school mascot costume—a potato!!!

What an absolute fun MG to read. It had all the ups and downs of middle school with great friendships and an adorable main character. I loved the illustrations in the book, and such a ride to see how Ben was going to pull off hiding from the entire school that he was the mascot. Such a great read, MG lovers will love and I can’t wait to buy it in paper form for my 7th grader!

[Blaine DeSantis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Random House Readers and NetGalley for this advance copy in return for an honest review. There is a lot to like about this book, which centers on a middle school student who has recently moved from Los Angeles to Idaho. He tries to fit in but has few friends until a series of incidents make him become "Spud" the mascot of the school basketball team. It is about friendship and also daring to do things you never thought you could do. Unfortunately, for my, the book was a very slow read.

[Afoma (Reading Middle Grade) · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Life As a Potato is a humorous, thought-provoking story about staying true to yourself and finding your tribe as the new kid in town. Starring a relatable male protagonist on the brink of 8th grade, this story is chock-full of hilarity, suspense, and sweet moments, making it perfect for fans of Gordon Korman and Chris Grabenstein.

Full review: https://readingmiddlegrade.com/my-lif...

[Suey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this cute fun story about friendships in middle school.

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Life as a Potato by Arianne Costner is about Ben Hardy, a seventh-grader who recently moved to Idaho. This is not exactly the best development in his life since he believes that he is cursed by potatoes--a big problem when he is surrounded by them. Even the school mascot, Steve the Spud, is a potato!

After Ben accidentally sprains the mascot's ankle, he is forced to fill in for the last few basketball games of the season. Ben must do anything to keep his friends and classmates in the dark about who is actually in the Spud suit. This sure puts him in a lot of sticky situations. He doesn't want to let his school down but he sure doesn't want anyone knowing that he is the school's mascot. Can Ben manage to do his best and not reveal his secret?

This was such a fun middle grade book. As a seventh-grade teacher, it was very obvious to me that the dialogue was authentic. Sometimes when I read a book I find myself thinking that this isn't really how teenagers talk. But I definitely felt like some of the dialogue came straight out of my students' mouths. It was great!

And since this is a book all about potatoes, there are a ton of great potato-related puns and jokes. It's fantastic. I'm sure if you're from Idaho, you'll love it even more than I did.

Ben is a very likable and relatable young man. It's easy to see why he does the things that he does--including act like a dumb teenage boy at times. The other characters in the story--including Ben's best friends Ellie and Hunter--are also well written and fun to read.

Throughout the book there are some fantastic illustrations by James Lancett who has done all sorts of fun illustrations for other authors. I think they really add some fun to the story!

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished this hilarious debut in two sittings! Based on the cover alone, I knew this would be a fun read. Ben moved from California to a small town in Idaho, and in typical fish-out-of-water fashion, he feels pretty homesick. He misses the ocean and skateboarding parks, and is pretty unsure about his new school's obsession with basketball and potatoes, especially since he's convinced that the potato is his nemesis. After a hot dog bouncing incident in the school cafeteria, he's forced to become the school's potato mascot for four basketball games—unbeknownst to everyone, except the coach, the principal and to Mitch, the son of the school janitor. Hijinks ensue, as Ben desperately tries to keep his secret, while at the same time struggling to figure out where he fits in, and how to to woo, Jayla, one of the popular cheerleaders. But it's not all fun and games. Ben will tackle some coming-of-age themes such as complicated friendships, bullying, first crushes and fitting in. I would especially recommend this book to reluctant readers—who I think would benefit from the straightforward, yet funny writing style, and the adorable illustrations interspersed throughout.

[K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trigger warnings: bullying, mild violence

3.5 stars.

Did I pick this up because I relate to the title? Yes. Did it turn out to be useful to me because it's set in Idaho and I'm trying to read books set in as many US states as possible? Also yes.

But at the same time, this just made me feel...old. I mean, I'm aware that I'm 39 and reading books written for 8-12 year olds. But I wanted a liiiiiiittle more character development than I got. Things played out a little too quickly for my liking, and while there were certainly plenty of funny scenes and I liked the way the final moment of realisation happened, there were plenty of times when I struggled with Ben as a protagonist. Still, it was pretty fun. So...there's that.

[Sara Pourhassani · Rating 3 out of 5]

بامزه بود. ارزش یه بار خوندن رو داره.

[Jojobooks Higgins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Put this in a 4-6th grader’s hands and they will devour it! I loved it.

[Julie Christensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. This character was so sincere and funny. But I'm a grown up. So I'm going to let my two MG aged kids have their say.

Here is the first:
I think that this was a very funny book, with lots of good, suspenseful moments. One of my favorite types of books is one with lots of comedic moments, like this one. I have a lot of favorite types of books, but another one is books with lots of suspenseful moments like My Life as a Potato. This was an extremely hard book to put down and was obviously very well thought out and written. Ben was a good character with a funny attitude. His friends, Hunter and Ellie, just added to that (in a good way.) I would recommend this book to ages 9 and up because I think that everyone would love this book. I love how he keeps getting into bigger and bigger problems the more he tries to fix them. It's hilarious. I can't wait for more people to read this book and share the same joy and laughter that I did as I was reading it. It is officially un-put-downable. A grateful reader, age 12.

Here is the second:
I loved this book. It was funny, witty, and it had a great storyline. I really liked the characters. One of my favorite scenes was the spudball fight at the end of the book. I really liked the drawings, too. My favorite character was either Hunter or Ben. I love the pure wackiness of it. I thought it was funny how Hunter (SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) caught the potato curse. This book was SO GOOD! I was hooked! I recommend this book to ages 10 and up. From, an avid potato fan, age 11.

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super cute. Read it w the kids. We all thought it was great.

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Life As A Potato is a hilarious and accurate look at middle school kids, their attempts to fit in, the quest to avoid embarrassment above all else, their crushes, and the way they complicate their own lives with their choices without thinking things through.

More than anything, it's just plain fun, as you'd expect from a book about a kid who dresses as a potato.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

What do you do when you are forced to become a mascot for your new school?

In Ben's case, he hides that he is the Spud, the mascot for the school he is attending in Idaho.

Like all stories where kids hid things from their friends and parents, you know the truth will come out. You know it is unsustainable. And you know that the longer they keep said secret the worse it could be in the end.

The author, in this case, nails it.

Writing middle-grade fiction is an art. To get the voice right is to capture that time of life when you are between being a little kid, and being in High School.

A well written, fun, story of a boy from Los Angeles, trying to make new friends in Idaho, while hiding who he is on game night. Highly recommended for kids and adults.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

[Lizzie McClellan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Obsessed with this book! My husband and I laughed through the whole thing. The character development is amazing, capturing the mindset of a typical middle school student - total throwback for me. As a 5th grade teacher, I'm familiar with middle grade books. This is a good one. Read it with your children, read it with your students, or even just read it by yourself! You will love it!

[Rachel McMahon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just read this book for the second time. This time with my fifth graders. They loved it! The humor is spot on and so are all of the potato puns 😀 also there is so much figurative language in here, we had great content for some lessons too! My 5th graders said it was the best book they’ve read all year!