PUMPKINS

At Halloween, pumpkins are everywhere, but the story of pumpkins begins with seeds sown in the spring, followed by plants, flowers and finally, fruits in surprising variety. Beautifully composed and reproduced color photographs show pumpkins on the vine, in the fields, on fruit stands and being carved (by an adult) before becoming part of a Halloween celebration. The alternation of full-page close-ups with smaller pictures and relatively simple text invites close attention to both. This holiday tie-in could be useful in the fall, but misses the full story. Photographs of a female bud and male flower fail to point out the difference, and there is no mention of the pollination necessary for the plant to produce fruit. The emphasis is on pumpkins for jack-o’-lanterns, not as a food plant, although most pumpkins in the U.S. are grown for processing. A supplemental purchase. (Picture book/nonfiction. 4-8)