Potato: A Tale From The Great Depression (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Ages 5^-8. Written by an eight-year-old girl in Kansas, this picture book is just a slice of family history, but the personal account does help make the past accessible for young children. Kate Lied says it is a story about her grandparents, told her by her aunt, and that it is also about the Great Depression and how hard things were. Her grandfather lost his job, and the bank took away the family house. The family found work for two weeks picking potatoes in Idaho. They lived in tents and worked all day, and they were allowed to pick potatoes for themselves at night; but the work lasted only two weeks, and then they went home again, loaded up with potatoes. It's not quite a story, but Ernst's warm pictures on a brown, grainy background have a childlike simplicity. They are framed like photos in an album and may encourage kids to listen to their own family stories and pass them on. Hazel Rochman --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Kirkus Reviews

Lied's first book retells a family story that brings home the reality of the Great Depression. The narrator, pictured as a young girl with pigtails writing next to a family photo album, tells the true story of her grandparents, Clarence and Agnes, who were young parents when the Depression first hit. When Clarence lost his job, the family lost their house in Iowa. Clarence and Agnes borrowed a car and drove to Idaho to dig potatoes. By day they worked for the farmer; by night, with his permission, they dug potatoes from the picked-over fields for themselves. The work only lasted two weeks, but they arrived back in Iowa with the car stuffed to the ceiling with spuds, a supply that carried them through to better times. Ernst supplies her trademark illustrations, framed on pages the same shade as brown paper bags, and suggesting snapshots in an album; the spare prose becomes captions to the events unfolding in each scene. This could be a useful opener for encouraging children to explore their own family histories, especially when they learn that the author was eight years old when she wrote down her story for a bookstore writing contest. (Picture book. 4-8) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: National Geographic Children's Books (November 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0792269462
• ISBN-13: 978-0792269465
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 8.8 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #78,194 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #26 in	Books > Children's Books > History & Historical Fiction > United States > 1900s
  #69 in	Books > Children's Books > History & Historical Fiction > United States > Fiction > 1900s
  #69 in	Books > Children's Books > People & Places > Careers

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful book told by a little girl about her grandparen, April 8, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Potato: A Tale from the Great Depression (Hardcover)

This is a children's book written by a little girl whose teacher though her essay about her grandparents would make a wonderful book. The book tells the story of a family who during the depression had no work. So they picked potatoes. The owner of the farm told them that any potatoes they picked after hours were theirs to keep. The entire family picked potatoes, loaded them on their ancient car, drove back to their hometown, and supported themselves with their potato cache for the next winter. I will use the book to encourage my children and grandchildren to keep family stories alive.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT BOOK!!!!, May 12, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Potato: A Tale from the Great Depression (Hardcover)

This is one of the most charming and touching children's literature books I have ever read!!! I would recommend this book to children of all ages including those young at heart!!