When pumpkins fly

It may come as a surprise to some readers that fall pumpkins are not as ubiquitous in some places as in others. In the Canadian Arctic's Nunavat, pumpkins arrive by cargo plane and reach the children at school--one for each classroom. After the seeds and flesh have been removed, baked, and eaten, the empty shell is carved. The word "Halloween" is never mentioned, but readers who know the holiday will recognize the tradition of dressing up in costumes and going house to house to acquire treats. Afterwards, the narrator, who has the honor of taking the carved pumpkin home, lies in bed to think about the tunaat--wise beings, maybe spirits--who come out at night looking for the things they need. This simple account of how Halloween has been imported (or exported) into the Inuit community in Nunavut should give readers pause to wonder and ask questions about the manner and tenacity of other traditions. When Pumpkins Fly should be given its place on the shelf of books about celebrations.

In the narrator's remote Arctic Inuit community, provisions are flown in via cargo plane; and one October, that cargo includes pumpkins. The child tells of their flight (these "passengers" don't need seatbelts) and delivery to the school, where each class gets one to carve. Specific Halloween tradition details follow: Elders trick-or-treat along with kids; afterward, there's a dance and costume parade. The book ends with the narrator tucked up in bed, thinking about the tunnaat ("ancient and wise beings") and what use they might have for pumpkins. Brightly colored cartoony illustrations capture a snow-covered setting and close-knit community. Back matter provides notes on Inuktitut pronunciations. Martha V. Parravano September/October 2020 p.50(c) Copyright 2020. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

When Halloween comes to an Inuit community in the Canadian Arctic, some "passengers" arrive concurrently on the last cargo flight in October. After the school principal hears that plane's engines, she requests some of its cargo for her pupils: pumpkins, the first ones local kids have seen. The young narrator wonders about this thing in the classroom and what to do with it, but pretty soon the children are carving a face and placing a candle in the pumpkin; afterward, they snack on its insides. The narrator takes the pumpkin home and places it on the porch before dressing up for trick-or-treating. After collecting a sackful of candy, the narrator imagines the tunnaat, "ancient and wise beings" that "live out on the land," taking his pumpkin that night on one of their regular visits. In the art, Sandland and Lawrence depict a smiling, shadowy being who is clearly thrilled to see the pumpkins. This brief, upbeat Canadian import sets a familiar holiday against a cultural backdrop that rarely sees such fare in books. Young readers south of the Arctic will enjoy seeing how the holiday plays out in the far north, where pumpkins do not grow; those for whom Arctic Halloweens are commonplace will appreciate a story that includes their own customs in the celebration. A guide to the pronunciation of two Inuktitut words used and a website for language resources are included, but there is no glossary. Illustrations feature vivid colors; children's skin tones are light brown. (This book was reviewed digitally with 8.5-by-19-inch double-page spreads viewed at 87.2% of actual size.) Far from your everyday Halloween tale. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.