Potato

A Tale from the Great Depression

By: Kate Lied

Historical Fiction

During the Great Depression, Clarence loses his job in Iowa.  He takes his family to Idaho where there is work picking potatoes.  At the end of the work day, Clarence, his wife Angus and young daughter Dorothy are allowed to pick the leftover potatoes to keep for themselves.  After two weeks of picking potatoes, Clarence and his family go back home with a car full of potatoes.  Back in Iowa they trade their potatoes for groceries, clothes and even a pig.  Finally Clarence finds a new job and the family moves to Washington D.C.

I would read this book aloud to my students.  I would have the students do independent research on the Great Depression and the difficult times that people faced during that time.  Then I would have them write a report on what they learned and then present what their findings to their classmates.  Hopefully, learning about the Great Depression will help my students be thankful for the things that they have.