Second grader Sam is assigned a rutabaga as his vegetable for a science unit at school. He isn't thrilled with this turn of event until his sister helps him draw a face on his rutabaga. He names the vegetable Rudy and decides he's a friend. The best way to help his friend, Sam determines, is to find some great dirt for Rudy to hang out in and that means Sam must hatch a plan to start a compost bin.

This was a very cute read with a simple problem. The everyday aspect of Sam's 'issues' will be relatable to many children -- school assignments, dentist visits, chores, birthday parties, etc. All of the characters in the book are distinct, yet none of them are bad (neither badly written nor terrible human beings). The story is humorous in some ways and reads very quickly, yet hidden within are lessons about being a good person, caring for the environment, etc.

The black-and-white illustrations complement the text nicely and also indicate some diversity in the characters. Although this is the second book in a series, it did not seem necessary to read the previous title to understand this one. ( )