Mutant potato Rot enters a cuteness contest in this amusing picture-book exploration of the ideas of beauty being in the eye of the beholder, and staying true to yourself. Intimidated by his fellow contestants - an adorable bunny, cute kitten and peppy jellyfish - Rot at first tries to imitate the competition, only to decide in the end to just be himself. His decision is effective, and really resonates with the judges, themselves somewhat rotten...

Although I never would have imagined a rotting tuber vegetable making an appealing lead character in a picture-book, author/illustrator Ben Clanton managed to spin a tale in which just such a hero emerges. Rot, the Cutest in the World pairs an amusing story about imitation and being yourself with appealing artwork created using watercolors, colored pencils and (what else?) potato stamps. Recommended to readers who enjoy picture-books with a quirky, off-beat sense of humor, as well as to those looking for children's stories addressing the theme of self esteem and the confidence to be yourself. ( )

This book is about a mutant potato named, Rot who loves competition. He signs up for a cute contest and starts to lose hope when he sees his adorable competitors. Ages: K-3rd. Illustrations: mixed media ( )