Pumpkin Town!

by: Katie McKy; illustrated by Pablo Bernasconi

Published by: Houghton Mifflin Company

Reviewed by Maria Hoeffer

Subtitled: Or, Nothing Is Better and Worse Than Pumpkins

Pumpkin Town! is a lively tale of brothers who grow pumpkins for a living. They unknowingly scatter seeds on a neighboring town causing an avalanche of pumpkins to grow. Though their actions were unintentional, the brothers take responsibility for the mountain of pumpkins that has overrun the town.

They harvest all the pumpkins and clean up the vines to bring in a tidy profit for the town. The townspeople are so overjoyed that they reward the brothers with large, sweet watermelons. The open ending encourages young readers to speculate on what will happen during the next growing season.

Pumpkin Town! is a delightful story of values that honors the reader's ability to draw conclusions for themselves. While many children's books offer a "knock you over the head" moral, this story subtly guides the reader to discover the values of taking responsibility and having a strong work ethic. The lyrical language and bright pages keep even the most distractible children entertained. The illustrations, a colorful and creative mix of paste paper, photographs, fabrics, and computer imaging provide a rich visual texture to the story.

Pumpkin Town! is recommended for ages 4-8. For the younger set, it is a funny tale to be enjoyed. For slightly older children, it can serve as a springboard to develop the logical skill of cause and effect as well as a fun creative writing "what happens next" project.

Armchair Interviews says: Children can draw their own conclusions.