CITY BEET

How big is “big”? An entire community is about to find out.

Victoria, who is brown-skinned, and her friend Mrs. Kosta, who is light-skinned, decide to bring a beet salad to the potluck block party in July—but first they have to grow the beet. They plant the seed and tend their garden for months until summer reveals an enormous surprise. The beet is gigantic! A parade of community helpers joins in to tug that recalcitrant veggie out of the ground, to no avail. No matter how many times Victoria offers to help, she’s pooh-poohed for her small size. Instead, as everyone is groaning and moaning, the child prepares the fixings for the beet salad. Meanwhile, the line of neighbors is getting longer and longer until they block the bus lane. “But that big red beet wouldn’t budge. Not even ONE LITTLE BIT.” The enterprising child takes matters into her own hands. With the help of a jump-rope and a trike, Victoria adds that right amount of oomph to yank that red beet right out—just in time for the potluck. Cohen’s modern, urban take on the Russian folktale “The Enormous Turnip” unites a diverse neighborhood for a comically common cause. The jaunty refrain is fun to recite after each failed attempt. Lugo’s colorfully detailed illustrations add to the humorous enterprise. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Community gardeners everywhere will want to “rise” to the challenge.