Alberto Salas Plays Paka Paka con la Papa: Join the Quest with Peru’s Famed Scientist and Potato Expert

Gr 2-5–With keen eyes, Alberto Salas searches the Andean landscape, collecting and cataloging varieties of potato. Fajardo’s picture book biography capably foregrounds the science of plant collection and identification, specifically within the context of the planet’s changing landscape and climate. In both editions, the titular phrase appears alongside additional Quechuan vocabulary, honoring the Indigenous inhabitants of Peru, while accenting the lyrical text with bursts of rhythm ideal for reading aloud: “Qacha, Qacha,” “Kallpa, Kallpa.” Martinez-Neal’s distinctive style is textured by a variety of mediums, including paper collage, pastels, and acrylics, among others. The earth tones are enlivened by the depiction of Salas in yellow attire, a metaphorical beam of light spotlighting the humble papa. Perspective shifts capture peeks of the Peruvian landscape, while close ups allow for a peek at Salas’s handiwork using a pickaxe to loosen soil, or delicately pressing plant samples onto paper. The English edition includes Spanish throughout, and extensive back matter further illuminates Salas’s work, the importance of plant diversity, and notes from the author and illustrator about their connection to the text.