POTATO JOE

Lively potatoes frisk and frolic across the page in this lighthearted counting book that expands on the familiar rhyme, “One potato, two potato.” Popping out of the dirt, Potato Joe initiates the rhyme with his “one potato” call and is joined by a second potato echoing “two potato.” As more potato pals join in, they add to the count as they fall into a tic-tac-toe formation, line up in a row and spot a “big black crow.” The growing potato pile is covered in snow as it continues the count to ten at which point ten brown spuds sporting cowboy hats are lassoed into a rodeo to do-si-do. Eventually the playful potato pack makes way for Tomato Flo and Watermelon Moe before rolling back into the dirt in descending numerical order. Simple illustrations starring the rotund tubers in assorted shapes, sizes and tones of brown against plain pastel backgrounds prove amazingly expressive and active as Potato Joe and his gang get down and dirty maneuvering through the count. Spunky spuds with appeal. (Picture book. 3-7)