Yuri's Yams

READ-ALOUD
Yuri’s Yams
A Reading A–Z Read-Aloud Book
Consonant Y • Word Count: 824 Yuri’s Yams
Written by Joe Slade • Illustrated by Tad Butler
www.readinga-z.com
www.readinga-z.com
WORDS USED IN THIS BOOK
Yuri’s Yams High-utility words:

1–100 my, is, I, a, but, was, he, came, from,
when, have, who, has, her, that, we,
and, she, would, what, of, in, you,
about, them, on, with, him, where, can,
at, the, for, our, his, out, away, all, it,
how, to, had, said, are, an, am, they,
up, now, will, his, me, then, do, big,
use, some, as, make, see, have, this
101–200 yes, say, soon, want, went, two, well,
could, ran, saw
Y words
Yuri, yes, Yugoslavia, years, year, young, Yeller,
yellow, you, yams, yolk, yogurt, yearns, yard,
Yamamoto, youth, Yokohama, yesterday, yummy
Yuri’s Yams
A Read-Aloud Book
© 2003 Learning Page, Inc.
Written by Joe Slade
Illustrated by Tad Butler
ReadingA–ZTM
Written by Joe Slade © Learning Page, Inc.
Illustrated by Tad Butler All rights reserved.
Learning Page
1630 E. River Road #121
Tucson, AZ 85718
www.readinga-z.com www.readinga-z.com
We got Yeller when I was a baby and she
was a young puppy. People would ask
Mom, “What kind of dog is that?”
And Mom would say, “She’s a yellow lab.”
Soon I would be answering in my baby

talk, “She’s yeller.” And the name stuck.
That’s enough about Yeller and me.

I want to tell you my story about yams.
My name is Yuri. Yes, I know it’s a weird

name, but I was named after my great-
uncle Yuri. He came from Yugoslavia
years ago when he was a young man.
I have a dog who also has a weird name.
Her name is Yeller. It’s my fault that
Yeller has a strange name.
3 4
The problem is that where we live, we can
only get yams at holiday times. At other
times of the year, the market doesn’t sell
them. My Dad yearns for yams for most
of the year.
My Dad loves yams. He can’t eat enough

of them. He likes fried yams, boiled
yams, baked yams, and even candied
yams. Sometimes he has yams on toast
with the yellow yolk of a fried egg on top. Last year, I had a brilliant idea. I would
I’ve even seen him eat yams covered with grow yams in our back yard and surprise
non-fat, plain yogurt. Dad with his very own fresh yams.
5 6
“I was just about to give up at the last
store when a voice behind me said,
“Looking for yam seeds are you, young
feller?”
“It was Mr. Yamamoto, who lived at the

end of our street. Everyone knew he was
an expert gardener.
I picked out a place at the end of the

yard, where nobody goes. I cleared away
all the weeds and dug the earth until it
was ready for the seeds. You wouldn’t
believe how hard it was to find yam seeds
in our town. I went to every gardening
store, but none of them had yam seeds.
7 8
“Yes, sir, I am looking for yam seeds.”
I told him. “I want to grow yams for my Mr. Yamamoto went on to say, “I grow
Dad. He loves them, but we can’t get yams in my yard. I started in my youth
them all year round.” when I was growing up in Yokohama,
Japan. Now I am an expert yam grower.
“You won’t find yam seeds because they
I will show you how to grow yams.
don’t exist,” said Mr. Yamamoto. “Yams
grow from roots called tubers, just like It was great—yam-growing lessons from
potatoes.” an expert yam grower.
9 10
The next day, Yeller and I went to visit
Mr. Yamamoto. He showed us where he
grew yams in his yard. He grew many
other things, but I was only interested
in his yams.
He gave me a couple of tubers, which

really looked like two old, shriveled yams.
Then he explained how to plant them.
“The first thing to do is dig a hole big

enough to plant the yam tuber. Then
place the yam in the hole. Next, fill the
hole with dried leaves, straw, or grass.
You can even use kitchen scraps. Cover
it with some earth. Next, water the
soil well.”
“I listened very carefully, as I didn’t want

to make a mistake.
11 12
Well, all that happened almost a year ago. We weren’t disappointed. We dug up
Yesterday was the big day. twenty-three huge yams. They were twice
as big as the yams we bought in the
Mr. Yamamoto said it was time to dig up
market. Mr. Yamamoto explained how to
the yams. Yeller and I got up at dawn; we
store the yams so we could have them all
couldn’t wait to see our crop of yams. Mr.
year round. He then picked out three of
Yamamoto was going to meet us at 6:30.
the yams, which we would plant for next
year’s crop.
13 14
I told her about my surprise for Dad,
and she said we would make him a
special yam breakfast. We cut a piece
off the yam and cut it into thin strips.
Then we fried it with some olive oil.
Mom served it on toast with a fried egg
on top of each serving. The yellow yolk
ran all over the yams.
“When we had finished all our work in the

yard, I ran into the kitchen to show Mom
the biggest and best-looking yam.
“Where on Earth did you get this beautiful

yam?” Mom asked. “The markets don’t
have them at this time of year.”
15 16
“Yams for breakfast, and it’s not even my
birthday,” said Dad.
“There are plenty more yams where this

one came from,” I told Dad.
“Fantastic! Thank you, Yuri. Would you

please pass the yogurt?” he asked with
a big smile.
We finished just in time. Dad walked into

the kitchen asking, “What’s that yummy
smell?” He was very surprised and happy
when he saw his special treat.
17 18

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READ-ALOUD

Written by Joe Slade • Illustrated by Tad Butler

Yuri’s Yams High-utility words:

Illustrated by Tad Butler All rights reserved.

And Mom would say, “She’s a yellow lab.”

Soon I would be answering in my baby

That’s enough about Yeller and me.

My name is Yuri. Yes, I know it’s a weird

My Dad loves yams. He can’t eat enough

“It was Mr. Yamamoto, who lived at the

I picked out a place at the end of the

He gave me a couple of tubers, which

Then he explained how to plant them.

“The first thing to do is dig a hole big

“I listened very carefully, as I didn’t want

“When we had finished all our work in the

“Where on Earth did you get this beautiful

“There are plenty more yams where this

“Fantastic! Thank you, Yuri. Would you

We finished just in time. Dad walked into

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