Sam the Man & the Rutabaga Plan

Likable second grader Sam Graham (Sam the Man & the Chicken Plan, rev. 9/16) returns, this time as a reluctant rutabaga expert. Arriving to school late on the first day of a new science unit on vegetables, Sam is discouraged to find that he's been assigned the rutabaga. How will he write a story from the rutabaga's point of view...and what the heck is a rutabaga anyway? Dowell paints a realistic picture of second-grade life as the students dig into the new unit, enthusiastically care for their vegetables, and, in true second-grade fashion, lose interest. Along the way, Dowell treats readers to some warm relationships: the Graham family is a realistic crew, full of good humor and gentle jibes; Sam and his sister Annabelle are close friends who support each other; the intergenerational (and interracial) friendship between Sam and his neighbor Mr. Stockfish grows richer as they now have chickens and gardening in common. Bates's sketchlike black-and-white illustrations add depth and emotion. Emerging readers will find much to appreciate in this entry. In addition, many schools include gardening in their curriculums, and this series provides a strong model of how to make real-world science an engaging part of each day. robin smith