George Crum and the Saratoga Chip

Review
By Jama Rattigan's Alphabet Soup

The perfect picture book biography . . . like the perfect chip with just the right snap and crunch, this story, about a biracial chef who inadvertently invents these crispy rascals back in 1853, is both satisfying and inspiring. . . . And the pictures in this book? Sweet, smooth and sassy eye candy. Frank Morrison’s elongated, crazy angled characters (rendered in vibrant acrylics), strut, glide and careen through the pages with spot on facial expressions, from the snobby upturned noses of the posh clientele, to engaging depictions of George’s embarrassment, frustration, feistiness, and sheer joy when he’s in the kitchen inventing a new recipe. Foodies will love the illustrations of George learning to cook on a campfire, the bustling dining room full of hoity toity customers, and George slaving at the stove trying to satisfy a picky customer. . . . An Author’s Note separates fact from fiction in this zesty feast of a book that will appeal to a wide readership interested in food, multicultural studies, and interesting inventions. After all, who, in his right mind, could ever resist the perfect chip? — Jama Rattigan’s Alphabet Soup