Join a grandfather peeling potatoes for a family gathering as he relives scenes from his Dutch childhood. At first he had been happy, well-fed, and secure, sailing wooden-shoe boats in puddles and working in the potato fields with his dear father.
Then, in 1940, life changed. The streets were full of dark uniforms. Trucks roared by, heading to a mysterious camp three miles down the road. Mother cried a lot. Unknown house guests came and went, and once a whole family of them was taken away by uniformed men.
The Sweet Potato, written and illustrated by Karyn Van Dooren, shows war through the eyes of a young boy. My children kept returning to this book, rereading the story, pondering the dream-like pictures, and remembering a past that they had not experienced. Your children might do the same.
Disclosure: My daughter owns a copy of The Sweet Potato. I am not compensated for my reviews, and my opinions are entirely my own.