How did I get it?: I ordered it for my library. I thought it might be a good pick for a Story Time and it definitely is.
Why did I read it?: The cover alone was enough of an enticement for me, but I liked the summary as well.
Summary:
When Little Sweet Potato rolls away from his patch, he is forced to search for a new home. He stumbles upon some very mean plants and flowers on his journey and begins to wonder: Is he too lumpy and bumpy to belong anywhere? Will Little Sweet Potato ever find a home that’s just right for him?
Review: Little Sweet Potato simply does what I think a lot of longer books fail to do. It shows through something as silly as the exploits of a sweet potato that it can get better and you can find somewhere good to plant yourself WITHOUT getting preachy OR suggesting that those jerks out there will necessarily change their minds and be less horrible one day. “It isn’t all mulch and sunshine out there,” as one gleaming eggplant reminds our starchy little chum, but the good news is you won’t always have to be out there. Eventually you’ll find a person (or people) to connect with who aren’t mean or narrow-minded and you can make a home (or life) with them. That, to me, seems to get at the very heart of the notion that things will get better for those who find themselves continually struggling with being different.
So that’s why I felt Little Sweet Potato deserved not only its own review but also a review here on the little blog I’m trying to get back into. This picture book came out just a little over a year ago and I never heard about it last year so chances are people who aren’t librarians haven’t either.
More importantly, I think everyone knows at least one person who needs this book. Chances are it might be you because I know that I needed this book today and I definitely would have benefited from a copy while growing up.
CSI: Librarian 