3 Languages (EN, DE, IT)
3 Literary Awards
Recommended for readers aged 3 and up
First Place
2022 PURPLE DRAGONFLY BOOK AWARD
Picture Books 6 & Older
Winner
2021 STORY MONSTERS APPROVED
Picture Books (Ages 3-8) Fiction
Finalist
2022 PAGE TURNER AWARDS
Picture Book Genre
A BookBub Featured Deal
EDITORIAL REVIEWS
“A clever rat named Zachary lives a quiet life under the floorboards of a bakery — until a new delivery causes unexpected trouble! A charming rhyming tale of friendship and sharing.” –BookBub
“Written in rhyme and sprinkled liberally with humour, Zachary and the Great Potato Catastrophe is a charming and quirky tale that’s great for reading aloud. Guilia Lombardo’s original illustrations really bring the characters to life, both human and animal. I particularly like one of Zachary’s twisty-whiskered pals! And there’s a delightful ending that shows that life is indeed sweeter when you share your good fortune with your chums.” -Nick Jones, Author, Full Media Ltd.
“This story teaches kids two things: greed doesn’t pay, and sharing and friendship are far more important in life.” –Anne-Marie Reynolds, Readers’ Favorite
Hardcover Edition
38 pages
8.5 x 0.25 x 8.5 inches
Paperback Edition
36 pages
8.5 x 0.1 x 8.5 inches
Kindle Edition
36 pages
Text Pop-Up Enabled
Multi-award-winning author pens a playful rhyming story about a shrewd treat-loving rat.
Zachary is a little gourmand rat who cleverly chose his home under the floorboards of a bakery. At night when the bakery was closed, he’d select a single pastry to delight in. He knew that taking more would raise suspicion. After he’d make his way back under the floorboards with his tasty treat, his chums would beg for a nibble, but not one morsel would Zachary give up.
One night Zachary saw a different type of delicious delectable: potatoes, filling up a big sack. When Zachary takes more and more each night, he still doesn’t share with his rat friends who nevertheless are kind enough to give him a warning about hoarding so many potatoes. It’s not long before the epicurean Zachary learns the hard way that greed can be risky indeed.
On the floor above him was a commotion so loud.
“Where are my potatoes?” cried the baker to his crowd.
Vibrant, gem-hued and detailed illustrations are a feast for young readers to pore over and bring to life this playful rhyming story with a gentle moral by author Junia Wonders. Some of Wonders’ award-winning picture books include I Love You Through Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall; Have You Ever Wondered What You Will Be?; and The Night the Monsters Came.
Zachary and the Great Potato Catastrophe is:
- recommended for children between 3 and 8 years.
- a delightful children’s rhyming picture book for early and beginner readers.
- written in verse with a rhythmic cadence to capture young listeners’ attention and give early readers confidence.
- beautifully illustrated with an exquisite palette and remarkable compositions, brimming with expression and humor that small children will love.
- a charming little story that teaches the joy of sharing.
From the author
From the author:
Zachary and the Great Potato Catastrophe is a children’s rhyming picture book about a clever little rat named Zachary, who discovers the sweet life when he learns to share.
The easy-to-read rhymes aim to capture young listeners’ attention, and the highlighted keywords throughout the book make the text appealing to its young readers.
I am immensely grateful to Italian artist and illustrator Giulia Lombardo for her engaging, playful, and wonderful illustrations.
I hope you and your little one will enjoy reading Zachary and the Great Potato Catastrophe.
Thank you for making this part of your bedtime or snuggle time routine. ~ Junia Wonders
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Reviews:
“A clever rat named Zachary lives a quiet life under the floorboards of a bakery — until a new delivery causes unexpected trouble! A charming rhyming tale of friendship and sharing.” -Bookbub
“Written in rhyme and sprinkled liberally with humour, Zachary and the Great Potato Catastrophe is a charming and quirky tale that’s great for reading aloud. Guilia Lombardo’s original illustrations really bring the characters to life, both human and animal. I particularly like one of Zachary’s twisty-whiskered pals! And there’s a delightful ending that shows that life is indeed sweeter when you share your good fortune with your chums.” -Nick Jones, Author, Full Media Ltd.
“The book was very well written, and the flow of words made for a great bedtime read for my daughter.” -Kody Fraughton, Reviewer
“Rat-tastic! This book was an adorable read aloud at bed time. The rhythmic rhymes were very enjoyable and helped calm the mood. The book also provided humor and espoused the benefits of sharing in a subtle but well supported manner.” -Marsupial momma, Reviewer
“I enjoyed reading this book to my grandchildren. Captivating story and a nice message on sharing.Young children who read will enjoy this.” -Kay, Reviewer
“Super adorable. This was an adorable read and the illustrations were a delight. The story is sweet, simple and fun.” -Amy Minori, Reviewer
“Fun Story for Reading Aloud. This is a beautiful little picture book about a mouse and about sharing. […] The story is excellent for discussion, either one on one parent to child, or for sharing with a classroom.” -Ona, Reviewer
“A sweet little book that I would recommend for ages 3 to 8.” -Vivi, Reviewer
“Fun little children’s book. This little book is definitely full of character.” -E. A. L. , Reviewer
“This book was funny and a good read. My son chuckled and talked about each page with excitement. He really enjoyed it.” -E. D. Morgan, Reviewer
“My daughter loved Zachary! She wants me to read it to her over and over! Very cute book with lots of new words to learn.” -Jeanie, Reviewer
“Love this book. This book is about the importance of sharing! I enjoyed reading it. My sons are 3 and 8 and it held both their attention with the great rhyme and awesome illustrations!” -Book Dragon, Reviewer
“Delightfully entertaining! We loved everything about the book. The rhymes, the illustrations and the lesson it taught. I think that it will easily become one of our favorites.” -Lexie A, Reviewer
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This book is also available in German and Italian.
