Folk tales give us hope. They show us that we can succeed in spite of apparent problems. And they entertain. Perhaps this accounts for their universal appeal and their amazing ability to survive. "The Enormous Potato" is one such story that has been around for generations. Retold by professional storyteller Aubrey Davis, it shows what can be accomplished when everyone lends a hand to solve a problem. The Enormous Potato begins with a farmer who plants an eye -- a potato eye. It grows and grows into an enormous potato. Harvest time comes, but the potato is so big that the farmer can't pull it out. So he calls for help, first to his wife, then to their daughter, then to the dog and so on. Energetic illustrations capture the growing determination of the family to free the potato from the soil and the celebratory feast that follows their success.

On a dark winter's night, a ragged beggar dreams of a warm hearth and a delicious meal -- and sets out to find just that. In this retelling of the classic folk tale "Stone Soup," a stranger teaches the poor villagers what can be accomplished with a few buttons and a little cooperation.