In my opinion, this book was mediocre. The pros of the book include the humor and the illustrations. I think this book is funny in some ways and would entertain children. There are sidebar comments on some pages that add to the humor. For example, in response to the princess saying “I am hungry. Give it to me now,” there was an asterisk that said, “Funny. I thought that children hated asparagus…” The illustrations were very interesting and contained a mix of, what seemed like cut outs of other pictures, as well as paint and other drawings. The negative aspects of the book include the plot and the printed text. I think that the plot did not really go anywhere and did not have a point. However, I am sure that children would think it is very funny. In addition, I think that the printed text and font on many of the pages was hard to read and follow, causing me to be less engaged. This book is a funny children’s book and reminds me of The Stinky Cheese Man. However, I think that it does not really teach anything or have any deep messages or ideas for the reader. ( )

The Mighty Asparagus is a beautifully illustrated story of a king who finds a giant (smelly?!) asparagus growing the front of his castle. What can he do?! This funny story is based on the Russian Folktale, The Enormous Turnip.
After reading The Mighty Asparagus, you could write your own folktale based on a vegetable growing in your garden. Many of us could easily imagine "The Giant Zuchinni" or other amazing vegetable story!

Here are some lesson links that I put together for this book - http://www.teachingseeds.org/1/post/2014/03/the-mighty-asparagus-by-vladimir-rad...

It’s beautiful! It’s amazing! It’s…smelly? The tale begins with the miraculous growth of a huge asparagus stalk in the yard of a king. Awe quickly turns to annoyance, as he determines the giant stalk must be removed. In an exaggerated, comical play of events, a barrage of characters attempts the feat, but to no avail. Finally, with the help of the king’s mother and a “tiny little bird” the asparagus meets its end. Told from a first person perspective, the author engages readers in a silly dialog that fuses wit, irony, and the essence of folklore. Vivid language, fluctuating sentence structure, and variable font qualities project the story’s tone and provide clear cues for the adult reader. The text is accompanied by detailed illustrations that superbly blend a suite of artistic qualities from impressionist painting to strokes of realism to dramatic exaggeration of forms. Rich, saturated images fill the pages from corner to corner with warmly colored figures, shapes, and scenery. Owing to somewhat lengthy passages and complex imagery, this picture book is best suited for ages “5 to 9 and on and on.” ( )

This was a cute book. Great for children who don't necessarily like Aspargus or other vegetables. Very well illustrated. The story is about a plot to remove the aspargus from the king's courtyard. They go through many trials to remove it before his mother gave insight on something easy. ( )

In this book a giant stalk of asparagus grows in the middle of the Kings backyard. The King wants it to be removed and tries many different things to try and knock it down but nothing works. He finally asks his mother for advice and she tells him to use a bird, which in the end works. ( )