Review by Booklist Review
Ages 2-6. Through softly colored pastels and rhythmic text, the evolution of Jamie's pumpkin from seed to flower to fruit and back to seed unfolds with quiet wonder. (Mr 15 86)
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
From seed to sprout to plant to flower to pumpkin, Jamie watches the extraordinary process of nature. A pumpkin grows until it's large enough to make an impressive jack-o'-lantern, and Jamie picks it. After carving it, he saves some seeds to plant in the spring, thus perpetuating the cycle. The text is set in large, bold print, facing each full-page illustration. Stages of growth are seen in relation to the boy; the tiny seed in his hand, the growing pumpkin next to his bare feet and tennis shoes, Jamie sitting on the mature pumpkin. Titherington used colored pencils for her exquisite drawings; the quality is breathtakingly soft and expressive. (2-6) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2 Softly colored pencil illustrations in a realistic style effectively communicate Jamie's pride as a very young gardener. He plants a seed, then grows and harvests a pumpkin from which he saves seeds for next year. The large, detailed drawings capture Jamie's anticipation and pleasure just right. The garden creatures appearing on every page and grandpa, whom we catch sight of now and then, are a delightful supporting cast. Nonreaders can easily follow the story in pictures alone. Very large, clear print on facing pages makes the simple narrative inviting for beginning readers, too. Libraries serving young children shouldn't miss this satisfying book in the tradition of Ruth Krauss and Crockett Johnson's The Carrot Seed (Harper, 1945) and Bijou Le Tord's Rabbit Seeds (Four Winds, 1984). The strong sense of the cycles of nature and a youngster's accomplishment make for a winning combination. Anna Biagioni Hart, Sherwood Regional Lib . , Alexandria, Va. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
