Two Old Potatoes and Me
by
John Coy & Carolyn Fisher
Order:
USA
Can
Dragonfly, 2009 (2003)
Hardcover, Softcover
Read an Excerpt
Reviewed by Hilary Williamson
I
n John Coy's
Two Old Potatoes and Me
(vibrantly illustrated by Carolyn Fisher in an extreme style that emphasizes what's happening underneath the soil), a girl and her divorced father spend their allotted time together planting pieces of two old potatoes and nurturing them into a bountiful harvest.
T
he girl tells her tale, beginning with finding two old potatoes in a cupboard, '
so old, sprouts were growing from their eyes.
' As she reacts by tossing them in the trash ('
Gross
'), her dad suggests they might get new potatoes from them, and they consult Grandpa. What follows tells readers young and old how to proceed - raking, planting, watering, weeding, composting, picking off bugs, etc. - '
We weeded. We watered. We waited.
' And on Periwinkle Day, they dig up spuds and feast on them.
W
hat makes this story stand out is not only its useful
how to
lesson on growing potatoes (including a
Mashed Potatoes
recipe at the end), but also the loving, mentoring relationship between father and daughter, despite the separation caused by the parents' divorce.
Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons.
Find more Kids books on our
Shelves
or in our book
Reviews