Mr. Crum loves to cook so much that he opens his own restaurant. One day, a very picky customer comes in and Mr. Crum is tasked to make potatoes just the way the customer wants them. I enjoyed that the text was playful and at times very alliterative and the illustrations are nice too (the food looks good enough to eat!). There is information in the back about the real Mr. Crum and how the first potato chips were invented. It would be good to use in a lesson on inventions created by BIPOC as Mr. Crum was both African American and Indigenous. This book is more lighthearted than the other children's book about George's life (George Crum and the Saratoga Chip) which delves more into his experiences with adversity and discrimination. I think both books could be utilized in different contexts based on the development of each child and what each child is able to understand about tough topics like racism, but whichever one you decide to read, it definitely needs to be accompanied by some potato chips for a snack (or if you're really feeling creative, try making a batch of your own after reading the book with your child!)

Note: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley. I was not compensated in any other fashion for the review and the opinions reflected below are entirely my own. Special thanks to the publisher and author for providing the copy.

Great book for introducing inventions that are happy accidents. After finding through netgalley, I purchased for my library and students love it!

We loved Mr. Crum's Potato Predicament! Some of my favorite books to read to my little people are picture books that tell a real story, or at least a fictionalized version of a real story. Our local library doesn't have very many like that that, but sometimes I can find one online to review. The most recent was this one, and I love the sentence inside the front cover: “The story you are about to savor is a fictional tale with a helping of truth.”
Mr. Crum loved to cook. He loved to cook so much that he opened his own restaurant, and his regular patrons considered him the best cook in the county—and he had a wonderful waitress named Gladys. All was well until one day, when a most peculiar-looking man appeared in the restaurant and trumpeted that his name was Filbert P. Horsefeathers—and the P stands for Punctilious! And what does this peculiar man want to eat? Potatoes!
So, Mr. Crum cooks up a batch of delicous potatoes—but Filbert sends them back with Gladys, saying they aren't right. Mr. Crum tries again...and again...and finally, in desperation, slices his potatoes paper-thin. What next? Well, if you read this story to your five-year-old, he may decide, the next day, as mine did, that he needs to make some potato chips. (Yes, I helped him do it, and he and his brother decided they were the best potatoes they had had in a long time—but I don't plan a repeat performance very soon!)
I absolutely loved the vocabulary in this story. Most of it will be above the heads of most little children, but it's a great way to introduce some of these words in a gentle way (I didn't bother explaining them, but they heard the words, at least). For example, Mr. Crum fricasséed and flambéed, boiled and braised, poached and puréed. And, his spuds were scrumptious, succulent, and sublime! This book was fun to read. If you have a child who loves stories about food, or just plain loves to be read to, look for this book. You won't regret reading it at least once. (Just plan ahead for making potato chips—you may get a request to do so!)
I almost forgot to mention that George Crum was a real person; don't fail to read the historical note at the end.
I received a free ecopy of this book from NetGalley and chose to write a review.

Mr. Crum's Potato Predicament by Anne Renaud is a wonderful book for children. It is based on the story of how the potato chip was finally created. 

Mr. Crum was a wonderful cook who was known far and wide as a wonderful cook. Everyone loved his food, that is until Filbert P. Horsefeathers came into his restaurant. He wanted an order of potatoes. Three times, Mr. Crum cooked him potatoes and he sent them back because the slices were too thick. He finally got what he wanted, Potato Chips! This is a cute story with wonderful illustrations. The back of the book has a short biography of the real George Crum.

This book could be used in many ways with children. It could be an introduction to inventions/inventors, used to discuss not giving up, even as a discussion about healthy foods, where various food comes from and how to prepare different food.

I recommend this book to kids and kids who enjoy food.

I received this book from NetGalley via Kids Can Press in exchange for an honest review.

What a fun book! Fantastic illustrations and rich vocabulary will make this picture book and hit with children and their reading-aloud grown-ups alike. The use of alliteration is witty, and silly words and names (like "Filbert Punctilious Horsefeathers") will have kids in stitches. For children who like the facts, the educational information at the end will give them plenty of information (as well as real-life pictures of George Crum's restaurant, early potato chip boxes, and more). This book lives up to its eye-catching cover. When you get your hands on a copy, you will not be disappointed!

Will this book appeal to kids? It's hard to say. We've got a few points in its favor: It's presented as a story. Its short and a little bit funny. Plus it centers on an invention that many kids love: potato chips. The illustrations are sort of neutral, a muted color palate and style.

Children will love reading this appealing story about the creation of the potato chip. George Crum, a talented chef, was known for his fabulous french fries. One day, a customer complained that the fries were too thick, and Chef George made a new batch of ultra-thin fries that were delicious. The beginning of the story warns readers that fact is mixed with fiction in this tale about the potato chip. The end of the book explains more about Chef George Crum and includes a picture of him.
Lesson Idea: While reading this delightful story, record questions children have about George Crum and his chips. Children may find answers to their questions by visiting this link: https://wonderopolis.org/wonder/who-invented-potato-chips"
This is a great book to add to the school library collection.

We are warned in the endpapers.
"The story you are about to savor is a fictional tale with a helping of truth."
It sets the tone for this delectable reading adventure.

Mr George Crum really was a renowned chef of mixed Native American and African American descent. Before he started cooking he had many other adventures, but those are not included in this book.

He owned a famous restaurant where people came from far away to taste his inventive "sorbets, souffles, stews, succotashes, ragouts, and goulashes." He introduced them to all kinds of strange delicacies.

Then came the day Filbert P. Horsefeathers, a peculiarly dressed man, came into the cafe and ordered, "Just potatoes."
George tried feeding him potato wedges fried in lard, but the customer sent them back. George then fried potatoes with thinner wedges. Again the man declined them.

Eventually George created the perfect potato chip that satisfied the "finicky, persnickety Filbert Punctilious Horsefeathers."

George Crum was known to have a playful sense of humour, and the illustrations in this book capture this spirit delightfully.

I love the luscious language. I've given you a hint earlier on as to the alliteration, but the interjections used by Gladys, the waitress are just as priceless:
Well, huckleberry biscuits!
Well, flying flapjacks!

I urge readers to search out the definition of horsefeathers and other words in the book. Never will using a dictionary be so much fun!

The book begs to be read outloud. The reader will have as much fun, if not more, as the listeners.

The backmatter contains additional (and authentic) information about this remarkable person. I hope the book inspires young readers to learn more about this fascinating person. It did me. That's how I learned all about what he did before he took to cooking!

A fairy tale about potato chips?

A restaurant patron insists that his potatoes are too thick! Undercooked! Too bland! He sends them back to the kitchen, where the George Crum cooks up potatoes again. And again. And again. Until he cleverly decides to slice the potatoes SO THIN and cook them SO MUCH and add A LOT of salt…… and hey! Potato chips are invented! This is some A+ historical fiction. Firstly, we are not beaten over the head with the author’s research over the subject. There is information at the back of the book on George Crum, but there aren’t facts strewn in to the book. Secondly, it’s fun, hilarious, and…. educational? The author uses Big Words in such a playful and kind of silly way that you won’t even notice that you are learning what punctilious means. Great wordplay. Thirdly, this book has representation. The subject, George Crum, was of Native American and African American heritage. There are African American and white patrons in the restaurant, but again the reader is not given instruction or even information on race except in the notes in the very back.

This book is super fun, my 5 year old and 2 year old loved it, and I think older kids would too. It’s fun to read and the illustrations are gorgeous. I would definitely give this book as a birthday present or buy it for my own kids.

'Mr. Crum's Potato Predicament' by Ann Renaud with illustrations by Felicita Sala takes a story that may be more legend than fact and makes it a fun story for young readers.

When Filbert P. Horsefeathers walks into George Crum's restaurant, he only wants potatoes. When the potatoes he gets aren't right, he keeps sending them back until chef Crum invents a new thin, crunchy, salty snack: the potato chip!

In a great postscript to the story, we find out that there was a George Crum who is credited with inventing the potato chip. Whether he did or not, he was apparently a great chef in the Saratoga area where they were known as Saratoga chips. There are some photos of the real George Crum and an early box of potato chips. There is also a list of sources for the story that is told. I found it a fun story and I loved the illustrations.

I received a review copy of this ebook from Kids Can Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.

Great read aloud for elementary classrooms! Based on a true story of a persnickety customer and an inventive and talented chef, Mr. Crum's Potato Predicament explains the origins of the potato chip. The text is fast paced and full of juicy vocabulary. The illustrations are so well done and are perfect complements to the upbeat tone of the story. The author's note perfectly addresses the question I always get asked at the end of stories like this: Did this really happen? Although at the end of this story, what everyone's going to be asking for is a potato chip!

4.5 stars, will be a good addition to classroom and school libraries.

Picture book biographies are always a hit with kids, and with a topic like potato chips I'm sure this will get a lot of circulation.

I received this arc from Netgalley for an honest review.
This is an informative story as a picture book about the man who is thought to have created the worlds first potato chip. It's a funny book about picky customers who want something that he does not have.

Art: colors bright, black people in background (different between black and white features)

Story: actually kinda funny, was history lession without me realizing its a history lesson (didn’t feel messagy)

This is a hilarious and adorable story that is inspired on a true story of the man named George Crum who is believed to have invented the potato chip. When a man comes into the restaurant demanding a plate of just potatoes, Mr. Crum thinks that this will be an easy customer. Boy is he wrong. As he tries to figure out the perfect potato dish, he inadvertently creates one of North America's favorite snacks.  This is a very cute story and the illustrations are fantastic. The alliterations in the book are wonderful along with the hilarious choice of words. I love that the author assumes the innate intelligence of the reader and uses big words. This is a must buy on my list.

Loved this book! The vocabulary in this book is wonderful. What a fun book to read, and so easily paired with a related activity~ snacking!

This was a nice story (based in part on historical facts), it had some nice images and it was easy to follow - 4 stars for this one.

For kids who love food, fun, stories and potatoes!
George crum opens his restaurant 'Crum's Place' because he loves to cook.
His customers thought of him as the best cook in the country.
One a customer orders for potatoes, only potatoes!
Mr.Crum serves him potato wedges but that are sent back.
So he cuts the potato even thin but again the customer complains that it's too thick and bland.
When this happens for the third time, Mr.Crum with his playful nature comes up with an amazing idea!
And everyone absolutely loves his new invention.

I was given the opportunity to review an advance copy of Mr. Crum's Potato Predicament! Oh. My. Goodness. I am so excited about sharing this book with my class this year! The vocabulary was fantastic and the pictures delightful. It doesn't release until September, but pre-order a copy today so you don't forget!

Great story of how the potato chip was created! Very humorous tale; kids will love it! Illustrations are perfect for the story; nicely 19th century!