Black Potatoes

By Susan Campbell Bartoletti,

Book cover of Black Potatoes: The Story of the Great Irish Famine, 1845-1850

Book description

2002 Sibert Medal Winner

In 1845, a disaster struck Ireland. Overnight, a mysterious blight attacked the potato crops, turning the potatoes black and destroying the only real food of nearly six million people.

Over the next five years, the blight attacked again and again. These years are known today as…

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Why read it?

1 author picked Black Potatoes as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

This is the book to read if you are young or seeking something for a young reader.

The suffering and endurance of ordinary men women and children during those terrible years is described with empathy and admiration. It is also, as the book description states, "the story of the heroes among the Irish people and how they held on to hope."

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