The Runaway Pumpkin
By Kevin Lewis and S.D. Schindler
This adorable rhyming Halloween tale has been a runaway hit with my 18-month-old son at storytime.
When the Baxter children find an enormous pumpkin growing on a hillside above their farm, Little Lil knows they're in for trouble. And sure enough, her brothers twist the pumpkin loose from its vine and set it careening toward the farm and on a path of mayhem.
It's up to Papa Baxter to stop the Halloween avalanche in time for Granny to fix up all of the family's favorite pumpkin dishes for dinner.
With its clever rhyme scheme and tongue-twisting chorus, Kevin Lewis' story is perfect for reading aloud on a chilly autumn night. Illustrator S. D. Schindler loads the story with comical detail as the pumpkin wreaks havoc on the farm and scatters chickens, pigs, and family members. The family Halloween costumes in the final scenes are also a clever touch.
This is a fun seasonal story that doesn't need to rely on ghosts, goblins, or scares. It's just good old fashioned Halloween fun.
The Runaway Pumpkin was book #25 in my goal of reading and reviewing 50 books in 2009. Half way there! Actually more than half; I'm backlogged on the reviews and skipped ahead to get this one online in time for Halloween.
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Comments: 4
I think the author takes a few cues from Dr Seuss, LOL. A bit of a tongue twister.
Wuss. He won't even attempt those kinds of books.