Arriving in his second-grade classroom late after a dental appointment, Sam finds on his desk a rutabaga, his very own vegetable, assigned for a project. Sam soon warms up to "Rudy," particularly after his sister draws a smiling face on him. Warned repeatedly that Rudy has stopped growing, Sam is happy when his rutabaga surprises everyone. Simply written, this early chapter book features well-drawn characters in believable situations. Readers who warmed to Sam, his family, and his neighbors in Sam the Man and the Chicken Plan (2016) will find the second volume in the Sam the Man series just as enjoyable as the first.

Likable second grader Sam Graham returns (Sam the Man & the Chicken Plan), this time as a reluctant rutabaga expert. Dowell paints a realistic picture of second-grade life. The Graham family is a realistic crew, full of good humor and gentle jibes; the intergenerational (and interracial) friendship between Sam and neighbor Mr. Stockfish also grows richer. Bates's sketchlike black-and-white illustrations add depth and emotion.

Sam is saddled with a rutabaga as his vegetable for the next two weeks in second-grade science.Sam doesn't like any kind of vegetable, but once he sees his rutabaga—"the size of a softball"; "round, but not perfectly round"; half purple and half "dirty yellow"; and with "a weird brown thing sticking out of the top like a little tree stump"—he is sure he's got the worst. How is he supposed to write a letter from the rutabaga's perspective? Drawing a smiley face on it helps, as does naming it. All of a sudden Sam becomes deeply protective of Rudy. How can he make Rudy happy? Well, as his elderly friend and walking companion, Mr. Stockfish, tells him, rutabagas grow underground, so Rudy must want some nice dirt. Thus is born Sam's plan to collect neighbors' food scraps and make a compost pile in Mrs. Kerner's backyard, where he boards his chicken, Helga. While this outing is not as obviously purposive as series opener Sam the Man & the Chicken Plan (2016), it is equally appealing. Sam's simultaneous awareness that Rudy is not alive and deepening investment in Rudy's well-being are developmentally spot-on. Dowell's characterizations are deft, accomplished in small but telling details. Sam is white, as is Mrs. Kerner, and Mr. Stockfish is black; the romance developing between the latter two is a quiet delight. Readers will be happy to spend time with Sam the Man. (Fiction. 6-9)

Gr 1-3 Sam's second grade class is studying vegetables. On the day each student is given a veggie, Sam is absent and ends up with the lowly root that no one else wantedthe rutabaga. At first Sam is uncertain about spending time with this seemingly bland and uninteresting globe. However, as the class delves into the science of agriculture, Sam starts to bond with his tuber. In fact, he adds a face with a permanent marker and names his new friend Rudy. Sadly, as time goes on, Sam notices that some of the other students' produce has begun to wilt. He begins to understand that Rudy will not last forever. So the lad comes up with a plan. With the help of kindly neighbors, his chickens, and his compost, Sam is determined to find a way to keep Rudy around as long as possible. This tale of a young boy using his wits and determination to help a friend, who just happens to be a rutabaga, is both instructive and inspirational. VERDICT With witty dialogue and pleasing illustrations, this second installment will engage younger elementary school readers. Mary Jennings, Camano Island Library, WA