Title: Black Potatoes
Illustrator: Susan Campbell Bartoletti
Readability Score: 7.9
Genre: Non-Fiction
Sub genre: General
Theme: always have hope
Primary and secondary characters:
Awards: Orbis Pictis Award
Publishing company: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Date of publication: 2001
ISBN number: 978-1455858910
Summary: In the year of 1845 a horrible disaster, known as the Irish potato famine, struck Ireland overnight. This event attacked the potato crops, in which the potatoes turned black and destroyed the main source of food for almost 6 million people. This attack continued for about 5 years over and over again. This on-going tragedy was known as the Great Irish Potato Famine. The results from this were the deaths about about 1 million people from starvation and diseases. About 2 million people had to flee from Ireland. This book tells the story of all the people who had to search for fields for harvested vegetables and things to eat. They had to walk for miles to find work that was only for a slight wage for survival. Landlords were cruel to them in the process as these families tried to find new homes as well. Some people committed crimes just to be sent to jail, where they would have a meal to eat and a roof over their heads. Children and other people suffered from diseases and starvation as well as the loss of family members and friends. The book also remembers those Irish people who never gave up on the opportunity to start over or on their hope, which they never lost.
I think this is a good book to use when discussing history. The Irish Potato Famine was a huge event in history that affected millions of people. Students should be aware of the significant losses and sacrifices that these individuals went through to make better lives for them and for their families. Children would appreciate knowing that some of their ancestors went through these trials to make a better life in America and that it is a part of history. An activity can be tied in with this book after reading to entail asking students what they would do in this situation.
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