The Ugly Pumpkin

August 1, 2005
Pumpkin pickers pooh-pooh the orange, barbell-shaped "ugly pumpkin" in October. Fortunately, November brings the lonesome veggie some new friends and an epiphany ("O my gosh/ I'm a squash"). Horowitz's (Soon, Baboon, Soon
) mixed-media illustrations of the gawky hero—who stands on Mr. Peanut legs, in elfin booties—are a trifle awkward, but expressive hand-lettered pages convey strong emotions. This seasonal entry ends with an unexpected "Happy Thanksgiving!" Ages 4-up.

August 1, 2005
K-Gr 2 -In this story that echoes Hans Christian Andersen's -The Ugly Duckling, - a very odd-looking pumpkin encounters harsh rejections, mainly from creatures associated with Halloween. The book contains an inventive, amusing, and surprising compilation of words and illustrations. The minimal text is rhymed, sometimes settling comfortably into a quiet corner of the riotously colorful illustrations and occasionally entering into the vivid tableau. Some children might find the wild depictions of skeletons and the creepy sneers of gnarled trees alarming, but the bright colors, bouncy rhymes, and engaging pumpkin (that turns out to be something else altogether) combine to make this a charming book on the whole, with a happy and surprising ending." -Susan Weitz, formerly at Spencer-Van Etten School District, Spencer, NY"

Copyright 2005 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.