Mr. and Mrs. O’Grady live a simple—even Spartan—life. Their children are grown. They have one chair, one coat, one blanket and one candle; and they share one potato for their one meal each day. They are quite happy with each other, but both would secretly like to have a friend with whom to discuss their favorite topics. One day, Mr. O’Grady discovers a large black pot in the potato patch. The couple finds that everything dropped into it magically doubles itself. They modestly increase their standard of living. When they accidentally double themselves, they find the friends they have always wanted and are “simply beside themselves with joy.” DeFelice’s retelling is an easy no-frills story. It’s U’Ren’s smiling, care-worn yet happy, stick-thin O’Gradys that make this package worth looking into. The watercolor illustrations are at once bright and subdued. Not necessarily a mandatory purchase, but still a treat. (Picture book. 3-8)
