Big Pumpkin

by Erica Silverman Narrated by John McDonough

Overview

The old witch wants a pumpkin pie. First she plants a pumpkin seed. She weeds and waters and waits. A tiny sprout pokes through the ground, and soon a small pumpkin appears. It grows, and it grows some more. When Halloween is only hours away, the witch decides it is finally time to bake the pie. But first she must somehow pull the huge pumpkin off the vine. With her fun-filled tale, popular children's author Erica Silverman teaches a gentle lesson in friendship and cooperation. Narrator John McDonough's lively portrayal of the old witch and each of her spooky companions will have youngsters laughing out loud. And beginning readers will enjoy the humorous illustrations as they follow along in the book.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

A rhythmic text and a vibrant palette combine in a Halloween tale noteworthy for its finely tuned balance of drama and comedy. A green-faced witch, with pickle-shaped nose and chin, decides to mark the holiday by baking a pumpkin pie. But the pumpkin she's planted is stuck on the vine. A gallery of graveyard ghouls comes to her aid--first a translucent white ghost, then a smartly dressed vampire, a tightly bound mummy and, finally, a bat with a bright idea. Their breezy conversations create a pleasantly sinister mood that stops just short of being scary. Accordingly, in Schindler's hands the cast looks not so much spooky as spirited. The eye-catching full-spread illustrations, in rich hues of orange and blue, capture the midnight magic, while dropped-out type adds an extra dash of mystery. A fine combination of fright and fun. Ages 4-8. (Aug.)

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2-- A rollicking, amusing Halloween tale. Based on the Russian folktale ``The Turnip,'' it's the cumulative tale of a witch who plants a pumpkin seed in anticipation of a Halloween pie. When the pumpkin grows too large, however, she finds she needs the help of some fitting wanderers: ghost, vampire, mummy, and a little bat. Some nice lessons are learned: the need for help from others, the joy of sharing, and that everyone--no matter what size-- has something to offer. The text is rhythmic and repetitive, making it a surefire success for story hours or read-alouds. Schindler's richly colored illustrations lend humor and give a lively feeling to the characters and plot, helping to make the story nonthreatening for the youngest of readers. The book starts with a large border, and the pictures and the pumpkin grow as large as the page. Rousing good fun for the Halloween season and far beyond. --Elizabeth Hanson, Chicago Pub . Lib .

Product Details

BN ID:	2940170759699
Publisher:	Recorded Books, LLC
Publication date:	04/27/2012
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

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