The Runaway Pumpkin
PreSchool-Grade 2-A story about an enormous pumpkin that gets out of hand. The Baxter boys make the mistake of cutting it from the vine before they have worked out how to get it safely home. With a repeated rhythmic chorus that kids will love to chime in on, the pumpkin makes its way through the hillside farm, scattering animals and Baxters in its wake. The family members finally manage to get it inside, and Granny cooks up a feast for Halloween supper. Schindler's gouache-and-pencil illustrations are amusing and rich in detail. Children will enjoy seeing the animals' reactions, as the out-of-control pumpkin wreaks havoc on sty and henhouse, and will also appreciate the family's inventive Halloween costumes. This is a fun read-aloud, without the dark overtones of so many of the holiday's stories, but it pays to practice the text once or twice as it can be a bit of a tongue-twister. At the end, readers are likely to be left with a longing for an appendix of Granny's recipes.Jane Barrer, Washington Square Village Creative Steps, NYCopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.