The Pumpkin Book

September 1, 1999
K-Gr 3 -Bold, clear watercolor illustrations and a concise text work together to explain the planting, cultivating, and harvesting of pumpkins. Gibbons includes a description of their traditional use by the Pilgrims and at Halloween. Directions for carving are provided with cautionary reminders about knives and candle safety along with alternate ways to decorate a pumpkin using a variety of materials found in most homes. A page of interesting facts about the history of pumpkins, their nutritional value, pollination, and instructions for drying seeds to eat is appended. Gibbons succeeds once again at covering a topic in a useful way at just the right level for beginning readers. This book provides more detail than Jeanne Titherington's Pumpkin, Pumpkin (Greenwillow, 1986), and will be a welcome addition to fall study units. Cheryl Cufari, Glencliff Elementary School, Niskayuna, NY

Copyright 1999 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 1999
Ages 5^-8. Using bright artwork in her familiar style, Gibbons takes on a favorite fall subject. The first part of the book depicts the complicated process of growing a pumpkin from seed, including an explanation of the role of male pumpkin flowers in the pollination process. Gibbons' illustrations for this section will be particularly useful teaching aides, especially for younger children. The remainder of the book is less science oriented. Halloween and Thanksgiving are each given a colorful double-page spread, though, oddly, the discussion of Halloween never mentions pumpkins at all. An ending section provides related information, such as instructions for carving a pumpkin and drying seeds. A good resource for educators, this also has plenty of kid appeal. ((Reviewed September 1, 1999))(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 1999, American Library Association.)