PUMPKIN DAY!

A cheerful excuse for a seasonal story with Wallace’s (Count Down to Clean Up, 2001, etc.) paper-cut collages, a bit of science, a dab of folklore, and several rather bland recipes. Another of her bunny families sets off for Pumpkin Hollow Farm one day in late October to pick pumpkins to make into jack-o’-lanterns. At the farm the owner takes photos from her pocket to answer questions about how pumpkins grow from seed to flower to fruit. In the patch itself are signs that offer jokes as well as facts like “Pumpkins are healthy food. They provide vitamins a, B-1, B-2, and niacin—calcium and iron, too.” The rabbit children examine and exclaim over a variety of pumpkins, select the ones they want, come home to scoop them out and carve them, and celebrate with a dinner of pumpkin muffins (“Buy pumpkin bread mix and follow the directions. Add 1/4 cup of canned pumpkin”), toasted pumpkin seeds, and pumpkin pie. A simple introduction to the fruit, for pre-schools and early childhood classes with an inviting yellow and gold cover. (Picture book. 3-6)