Storytime Ideas
Potatoes
TWO OLD POTATOES AND ME by John Coy inspired this Potato-themed storytime. TWO OLD POTATOES is also a wonderful father-daughter story, and is a fun way to teach composting and recycling. Besides sending kids home to plant potatoes in their backyards (if they have yards at their homes), you can also play “Hot Potato” – kids form a circle and toss a potato back and forth as fast as they can. If someone drops the potato, that person is out. Then, make potato prints: before the storytime, cut the potatoes into shapes. Kids just dip them in paint and “stamp” art paper. For instructions, check out Kinder Planet.
- Coy, John. TWO OLD POTATOES AND ME. A father and daughter grow potatoes in the backyard, from two old, eye-growing potatoes that they cut into chunks.
- Katz, Michael. TEN POTATOES IN A POT. A collection of counting rhymes. Just read one or two rhymes between each picture book.
- Leedy, Loreen. THE POTATO PARTY AND OTHER TROLL TALES. Seven short illustrated stories; the title one is perfect for this theme.
- Farish, Terry. THE CAT WHO LIKED POTATO SOUP. An old man leaves his cat to go fishing, and the cat is afraid he won’t return.
- Cazet, Denys. MINNIE AND MOO AND THE POTATO FROM PLANET X. Minnie and Moo, those two Marin cows, help an alien who has landed on their farm.
- Pomeroy, Diana. ONE POTATO: A COUNTING BOOK OF POTATO PRINTS. This counting book is illustrated with potato prints – it can inspire your art project.
- Rockwell, Anne. SWEET POTATO PIE. The farm is a busy place, but everyone stops work when it is time for Grandma’s sweet potato pie.
- Speed, Toby. BRAVE POTATOES. At the County Fair, the potatoes stage a break and ride the Ferris Wheel to escape a mad chef.
- French, Vivian. OLIVER’S VEGETABLES. Oliver will only eat French Fries until Grandpa shows him the other veggies growing in the backyard.
- Selsam, Millicent. MORE POTATOES! In this easy reader science book, a girl learns how potatoes are grown from the corner grocer and a local farmer.
- Lied, Kate. POTATO: A TALE FROM THE GREAT DEPRESSION. Expressive cartoon illustrations by Lisa Campbell Ernst help tell this true story of a family who finds work picking potatoes.