Pumpkin Heads

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Pub Date 10 Aug 2021 | Archive Date 09 Aug 2021

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Description

Halloween is time to pick pumpkins and carve them into pumpkin heads--jack-o'-lanterns of every shape and size!

Award-winning author and artist Wendell Minor uses simple language and striking autumn settings to celebrate jack-o'-lanterns in this reissue of a Halloween classic. The perfect holiday read aloud, Pumpkin Heads takes readers and trick-or-treaters from the pumpkin patch for picking, all the way home for carving, and gets everyone in the Halloween spirit. 
Halloween is time to pick pumpkins and carve them into pumpkin heads--jack-o'-lanterns of every shape and size!

Award-winning author and artist Wendell Minor uses simple language and striking autumn...

Available Editions

EDITION Other Format
ISBN 9781580899352
PRICE $11.99 (USD)
PAGES 32

Available on NetGalley

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Average rating from 61 members


Featured Reviews

A super fun Halloween book about the many carved faces of pumpkins! Some faces are scary, some silly. This book features beautiful, creative illustrations with brief sentences on every other page, so this book is probably best for preschool aged children.

Thank you Charlesbridge and NetGalley for providing this ARC.

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Cute book for Halloween. Children will love the pumpkin and jack o lantern illustrations. This will be a big hit for children.

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One for schools and groups, this book shows us round the world of carved Hallowe'en pumpkins. With very little text it's going to only appeal for one or two Octobers at most, before a child's experience of Hallowe'en has surpassed what's on the page and they find this too simplistic. Where their experience comes into play, though, is with the incredible look of this book – the wonderful, wonderful hand-crafted art shows many great designs that you might like to experience making yourself. I think if any family were to keep this it would be as a sourcebook for potential pumpkin heads, then, for as an introductory lesson it didn't have the feel of being a keeper. Still four stars, tho, for the level of artistry.

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OMG I Love Halloween & Pumpkins! The artwork illustrations were amazing and spooky. The storyline is all about different pumpkins and jack o' lanterns and how they can all be unique. I will definitely be picking up a physical copy up for myself and for my forever shelf. I can't recommend this book enough for kids of all ages. Thanks #netgalley for the review copy. I loved it!

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Read this to my special needs 11 year old and he loved it. We love Halloween. Thank you for writing a cute kids book. Will recommend this book to his teachers and his friends.

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I normally love reading at least one fall or Halloween themed book every fall, but when I saw the cover of this book, it instantly drew me in. I couldn't wait for fall, I had to request it immediately. It did not disappoint. The illustrations were absolutely perfect and a genuine delight, depicting all types of pumpkins: from a pumpkin-shaped hot air balloon to pumpkins in a haunted house and many creative things in between, this book just made my fall-loving heart happy. I've read many Halloween-themed children's books over the years, but this is definitely one of my favorites that I can see myself turning back to (with kids or without!).

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Something about this book was very nostalgic for me. I loved the illustrations. There was a mild sense of spookiness to it, and mystery. The story is simple and describes the different kinds of pumpkins we see during Halloweentime. This could be a new favorite picture book for story time in the fall.

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I enjoyed this story! I think the littles will like it, as well as early readers. The illustrations were wonderful, and there should have been more of them! Kids are going to enjoy looking at the variety of carved pumpkins in the story. It's a fairly simple read. It would make a nice Halloween gift, or addition to a Halloween collection.

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It was fun to see the way that people grow pumpkins for the contest and to use as a boat .I liked the progression of the book to not have the pumpkin picked too soon. The pictures at the end of real events with the boats was enjoyable.

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A perfect halloween read! Filled with fun pumpkins and just the right amount of halloween vibes. I really loved reading this and the artwork was just great!

*Thanks Netgalley and Charlesbridge for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

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This is a children's book that I read to my twin boys. This is a cute and fun Halloween book for young children. I would say this is great for pre-k to kindergarteners. The pictures was very cute, and my boys laugh so much during this book. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Blue Sky Press) or author (Wendell Minor) via NetGalley, so I can give honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

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This is a great Halloween book for kids. The illustrations are brilliant, I think some of them are actually quite creepy and scary looking. So possibly not the best for all young children.

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The art in this book is insanely good! It totally feels like Autumn. I felt like I was looking at photographs instead of illustrations! Great book to get kids into Halloween, especially if they might be a bit scared of jack o lanterns.

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What a great Halloween story! Pumpkin Heads is a story about what happens to pumpkins when Halloween comes. It's a good story and the illustrations are wonderful. It was an exciting read and had me laughing more than once. I even thought about using some of the ideas in the book when I put out pumpkins next Halloween. I think that this story would be a great additional to anyone's Halloween collection!

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I thought this book was very cute. My girls (4&8) enjoyed it as well. The pictures are beautiful. I would definitely want this on my kids bookshelf around Halloween time!

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The illustrations are nice, showing different kinds of Jack-o-lanterns.
The texts are simple, kids-friendly.
I enjoy reading this story.

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I received an advance copy of, Pumpkin Heads by, Wendell Minor. I really love the illustrations in this book, they are so life like and real. Its a cute story about fall, Halloween, and pumpkins.

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Pumpkin heads is a wonderful book to get your children ready for fall festivities. It has amazing illustrations that will make every child or student excited for Halloween!

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I received this book for an honest review. #NetGalley #PumpkinHeads
I love the graphics in this book. The story was cute. I enjoyed it.

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Here was my original review on Goodreads from September 2017:
I'm so glad we came across this (signed) book at our library (The American Library in Paris) ; this is one that I'll definitely be adding to our Halloween collection! It's simple, but seems timeless to me, because what better represents Halloween than pumpkins?! The story is sparse and the pictures are beautifully painted. I love everything about this book. 😍🎃

After discovering Pumpkin Heads, I purchased a copy of the book the next day for our home library. It continues to be a seasonal favorite of ours, so I was pleased to see that it was going to be reissued!

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This book was great for my Halloween loving child. The artwork is excellent and displayed the various types of "pumpkin heads" clearly. Short and simple sentences along side the artwork make this book a good choice for a story time read together with little ones pitching in, too. Things like a pumpkin head pretending to be a snowman encouraged my four year old's involvement and laughter. He gave this one a big thumbs up!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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Wendell Minor dedicated this book to all pumpkin patch visitors - so that means this is the perfect book to read before your annual visit to pick your pumpkin! Plus there are some wonderfully inspiring ideas for pumpkin carving. My personal favorite was the cat peeking from the window. But I also liked the pumpkin snowman and the idea of carving the top of the pumpkin so you can use the stem for a nose! That is brilliant.
The illustrations are amazing however a few of the images are a little bit scary. So even thought the text is simple, you might not want to share it with a sensitive toddler or preschooler. But most kids will eat this up - along with the pumpkin seeds leftover from their pumpkin carving.
Thanks to #Net Galley for the ebook!

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Pumpkin Heads is sure to delight with such lovely pictures. I love the dedication to the children. It is definitely worth adding to your fall and Halloween reading list.

There are so many activities to try with this book or a fall/Halloween lesson plan, unit study, or just to have a bucket list for some fun.
• Use this to help you discuss big/small.
• Do a science experiment to see if pumpkin can float in different forms.
• Go on a hayride.
• Decorate a real, paper or felt pumpkin.
• Learn about scare crows.
• Talk about different shapes and sizes using pumpkins.
• Perhaps try some painting or drawing. Go to a pumpkin patch.
• There are many printable online that would go well with this book.

Thank you Netgalley and Charlesbridge for this free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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This book would be a wonderful addition for any elementary teacher (or parent) looking for seasonal read alouds. My children loved the simplicity of the story paired with the striking pictures.

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This is a beautifully illustrated and delightfully simple Halloween book for preschool aged children. The pictures will generate lots of discussion, and the there is some nice simple vocabulary for kids to learn and understand.
I will enjoy reading this to my students at Halloween!

Thank you Netgally for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

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Realistic illustrations full of autumnal colors accompany simple, child-friendly text about the many places you can see “pumpkin heads” (that is, jack-O-lanterns) when it’s close to Halloween. Besides its obvious appeal as a holiday-themed picture book, this is a story that is sure to inspire feel-good nostalgia among parents and caregivers thanks to its artistic style. I recommend this book as a good option for a Halloween-themed library storytime. The text is brief enough to work for even the youngest audiences.

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Received a copy thanks to NetGalley & Charlesbridge in exchange for an honest review.

A very spooky story about all the different kinds of pumpkins one sees during October!

I really enjoyed the artwork, its style lent well to the spooky atmosphere. All the pumpkins and backgrounds were drawn beautifully and like I said, with a spooky flair.

Some of the pumpkins were legit creepy...but that is the point of Halloween! ;)

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I think the cover looks a bit scary, but the brief story is entirely benign. It’s strength is the quality of the illustrations and the variety of pumpkin shapes, sizes and expressions. Terrific models for young carvers, sure to inspire creative interpretations at home.

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So beautiful coloured pencil work - almost photo like. Really loved the images. A sentence for each picture of what a carved pumpkin may look like.

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Lovely illustrations with a lot of detailed although some may be a little scary for younger children. A very simple text about pumpkins for Halloween

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The text is quite simple but what stands out are the incredible illustrations. I know a few children who would study and discuss these images at length, and I think they would make excellent stimuli for writing lessons.

Although perhaps aimed at younger age groups, I would also read this to slightly older children purely because the images are so creepy and atmospheric; some younger children may be frightened by them, but older children would love them! I could see this text being used by a whole school during Halloween.

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Pumpkin Heads is a picture book with very simple language and beautiful realistic paintings of carved pumpkins. You have Scarecrow Pumpkins, Witch Pumpkins, Snowman Pumpkins, Pumpkin Hot Air Balloons, and more! They are atmospheric and great for getting in the mood for Halloween!

Note: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley. I was not compensated in any other fashion for the review and the opinions reflected below are entirely my own. Special thanks to the publisher and author for providing the copy.

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I was worried when my granddaughter wanted me to read this one to her, but I needn't have worried. It is not as scary as the cover makes it look. In this book we see all kinds of pumpkins such as a pumpkin snowman, a cowboy and pumpkins that have scary or cute faces. The text is very simple and my 7 year old grandson read this to his sister a couple of times. The illustrations are wonderful. They complement the text as well as providing picture clues for young readers. They show even more Jack-O-Lanterns such as hot air balloons, in a haunted house and doing other creative things. A simple but imaginative book that I recommend to anyone who loves Hallowe'en and Jack-O-Lanterns.

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I loved this book. It was very seasonal and festive for the autumn season. The pumpkins were very well illustrated in the book.

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This is a quick Halloween book for younger kids. It was simple yet so interesting. The illustrations are fantastic and really bring the book up a notch. Gorgeous!

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*thank you to Netgalley, Charlesbridge and Wendell Minor for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*


4 stars.

Ohh wow. I can not express enough just how BEAUTIFUL the illustrations in this book are! Every single one of them needs to be framed, they are just that amazing. 10/10 just for the illustrations alone. Even if you can't read, just simply absorbing the illustrations will make this book worth it.

The story content itself tells of the many different creative ways to carve and dress up pumpkins and their uses, making this fun to read and a wonderful book for not only Halloween but for any time of year.

Would definitely recommend.

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Pumpkin Heads is a picture book filled with illustrations of carved pumpkins! And the illustrations... wow they're STUNNING! The book doesn't just show the different kinds of carved pumpkins, for example a witch of a cowboy, but also its uses, like being a scarecrow or scaring trick-or-treaters!

Unfortunately, Halloween is not a big thing in The Netherlands so I won't be able to read this book to the primary school children I work with, but I would have if I could! This book would be perfect to discuss when fall arrives!

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The illustrations are SO detailed that I wasn't sure if it was a photography or illustrations! Amazing! Fun picture book and sweet message that kiddos don't need to be afraid of jack-o-lanterns even if they look scary.

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The illustrations are everything in this book, so detailed and realistic. Each of the pumpkin heads have so much personality, providing inspiration for cute, creepy and whimsical designs. The text is very sparse, making this an ideal book to introduce young children to this aspect of Halloween.

There‘s a pumpkin snowman (I want to frame this picture), scarecrow, witch and cowboy, along with those that are expressing a variety of feelings.

I particularly loved the witch and the haunted house.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Charlesbridge for the opportunity to read this picture book.

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I received an electronic ARC from Charlesbridge through NetGalley.
Delightfully illustrated picture book about pumpkins in the fall. Minor takes readers through all sorts of carved pumpkins that are ready for autumn and Halloween fun. Young readers will enjoy seeing the various illustrations and studying the details in each design. The text is straight forward and easy to read for readers of different abilities.
A terrific read aloud for lower elementary classes.

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This is such a sweet book for younger kids (2-6). A great aloud for school or home. The artwork was exquisite! A perfect book to tie in with your field trip to the pumpkin patch this October!

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Pumpkin Heads by Wendell Minor is a beautifully illustrated picture book. Something about the illustrations felt very nostalgic to the picture books of my childhood in the early 90s. This book is a quick read, with pictures and large text alternating every other page.

I can see reading this book in October during storytimes and asking the kids to imitate each type of pumpkin.

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Not sure if this is a board book or not, but it feels like a board book. It shows what pumpkins can and do become on Halloween. This book is a bit darker, which is noticeable from the cover. Not anything meant to scare, but it appeals to the horror loving parents and isn’t all cute and chibi style. It’s dark, decadently so.

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"Halloween is time to pick pumpkins and carve them into pumpkin heads - jack-o'-lanterns of every shape and size!

Award-winning author and artist Wendell Minor uses simple language and striking autumn settings to celebrate jack-o'-lanterns in this reissue of a Halloween classic. The perfect holiday read aloud, Pumpkin Heads takes readers and trick-or-treaters from the pumpkin patch for picking, all the way home for carving, and gets everyone in the Halloween spirit."

The universal rule in my house is, if Wendell Minor had anything to do with the book it belongs on our bookshelves.

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Pumpkin Heads by Wendell Minor is a gorgeous Halloween book for toddlers and preschoolers. Text is extremely limited, so this is best suited to children who like to help tell the story form the illustrations. Honestly, the illustrations in this book are what make it. They are absolutely stunning in both their composition and realism. Adults will like reading the book with their children as a nice change from cartoon style illustrations found in so many picture books.

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Halloween just got a whole lot HALLOWEENIER with the reissue of this October classic.

Minor's stunning artwork is the star of the show here. I don't often recommend cutting up books, but you may want to purchase a second copy in order to decorate your walls with Minor's gorgeous gourds.

*This title will be out on August 10th. Thanks to Netgalley and Charlesbridge Publishing for the opportunity to enjoy this book.

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Perfect for Halloween!

The illustrations are really good. All the pumpkins and the scary vibes!

However, I wish there was more to read as it's a storybook.

Thank you, author/artist and the publisher, for thr advance reading copy.

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What a lovely look at the Jack o' Lantern! A not so scary picture book perfect for Halloween and leading up to it. The beautiful autumn imagery combined with carved pumpkins and very positive, neutral text allow this book to be perfect for those looking for Halloween without super scary imagery. A nice array of happy, sad, and scary pumpkin faces set in a beautifully illustrated book.

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a book for children to celebrate the autumn vibe! It's pretty easy and soft for a child to know better about some halloween things. I loved a lot <3

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You know me... gearing up for spooky season as early as possible! Pumpkin Heads is all about picking the perfect pumpkin... because they often become heads. The book focuses on Halloween and the carving of the pumpkins into faces (and heads) and where you might find them peaking out.

The illustrations are beautiful full pages and showcase all the different ways you could carve a pumpkin. There are cowboys and witches and even more creative things like a pumpkin snowman - which I was very interested in and would love to try out.

The text was on the short side and very easy to read, it does not rhyme which I think is a blessing and a curse - with these shorter books I always feel like their should be a rhyming scheme for some reason, but that is just my brain being weird.

The illustrations really make this book. They are absolutely stunning and I would love to frame them all and display them. They are just enough realism and whimy brought together and I think lovers of Halloween and pumpkins will really enjoy this book.

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Pumpkin Heads by Wendell Minor is being reissued and released on August 10 2021. This Halloween classic uses simple language and striking autumn settings to celebrate pumpkin heads.

Pumpkin Heads is a celebration of jack-o-lanterns and the variety of ways pumpkins can be used and decorated in the fall. The text is simple, and very limited, which makes it good for the youngest book lovers and enjoying the book in a storytime settling, perhaps paired with a craft. The images are bold and memorable, and will definitely capture the interest and attention of the audience. It could also be used to inspire some crafts and pumpkin decorating. I certainly have some idea for what I might want to do this fall.

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It's spooky time!

I love Halloween, so of course I pick up a Halloween/Pumpkin filled picture book! At this point, I embrace the fun at my age. Why not have a little fun and dip back into the joys of childhood? Pictures books are also great to share around! So many young readers... so many options...

My notes about this book:
1. The cover is creepy... in the best spooky way! Although, some little kids might actually be creeped out and stay away.
2. The illustrations are marvellous! They really stand out. Super lifelike!
3. The story is sweet, simple and fun.
4. This is a great book to bring into the classroom or get your young ones pumped for Halloween!

Three out of five stars.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

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I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. Such a cute fall/Halloween book.

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This books shows all types of pumpkin heads- from snowmen to Cowboys. My favorites are the 'peeking out the window' and the one that 'floats high in the sky'. This is a fun Halloween book for children- but I have to say that the illustrations are the highlights of the book. They are gorgeous, realistic, and completely awesome.

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PUMPKIN HEADS by Wendell Minor is definitely the book I would recommend to parents who are looking for a seasonal story to read to their kids, perfect after a day at the pumpkin farm.
In fact, it made me want to go to the farm myself, so maybe I'll go for a trip this Sunday.

No linear story here with characters as I had imagined, the book simply describes everything you can do with a pumpkin when you turn it into a pumpkin head.

The drawings that go with the text are beautiful with a retro aspect that I particularly appreciate.
A quick read then, perfect for a bedtime story for example.

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This super simple children's book is perfect for your toddler. Easy words, a message of inclusivity (pumpkin heads of all shapes and sizes!) and some cute illustrations are likely to briefly entertain even the youngest of children. Some might want to use this book as a child's first reading material given it's simplicity.
The content is also simple. Just about how pumpkins are out at Hallowe'en and how they become jack o' lanterns and can be found all about. No flashiness, morals, or confusing rhetoric here; just straight up 'yeah pumpkin's' message.
A suitable Hallowe'en related book for the majority of children. It does mention trick or treating so my only caution would be to ensure the child you are gifting it to participates in trick or treating.
Please note: I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.

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When you think of Halloween pumpkins might be something you think about and this book does a good job showing this. Going to pick out a pumpkin that you like the look — shape, and size to decorate your house or make a jack-o-lantern is popular and fun. This is a good book to read at school perhaps before a field trip to a pumpkin patch or when talking about pumpkins and getting into the season spirit. It is also fun to read at home. Again, for the same reasons. It is mostly great pictures. You go on a journey in this book through the journey of the pumpkin that becomes a holiday decoration. It gives some ideas for jack-o-lanterns, which is nice. Early readers and students will enjoy this book. There are many things to see in this book and it is a good seasonal book.

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What a great little halloween read. I have purchased it for my library and look forward to the season to see people check it out.

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