Customer Reviews

Big Pumpkin

5 star:		(72)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is a funny, charming Halloween story that introduces some of the traditional frightening monsters of Halloween like a green-faced witch, vampire, ghost, bat, and a mummy but in a non-scary fun-filled way. A delightful old witch plants a seed and grows a huge pumpkin because she has plans for making pumpkin pie. The pumpkin gets so big that she can't get it off the vine and down to her house to make it into a pie. As she struggles, successive passers-by stop to help because they also want some yummy pie. The witch, vampire, ghost and mummy all try using brawn and fail but a clever little bat saves the day with his idea rather than his strength. All the characters are drawn with such a light-hearted and comical approach that there is no scare to them at all, only a funny sense of helpfulness to reach that big goal, a pumpkin pie! You haven't seen a vampire until you've seen one enjoying a bite of pumpkin pie with those incisors and smiling at the same time! Big fun.

Of all the Halloween books I have in my Halloween box at school, this is the one my students love the best. Since I began using it 4 years ago, my classes(K-2)have usually had it memorized and could say the verses outloud with me as I read. The pictures are incredible. The story is darling. If you happen to come across the book on tape, grab it up quick. The producers put the words to delightful music, and voices that make the book come to life.

I read this book to my daughter last October when she was just a little over two. She's just turned three and we're using it as our pre-Halloween reading again. What I like best about the book is that the characters, a witch, ghost, vampire, mummy and bat, aren't at all scary. They all have the same sole interest, eating pumpkin pie. There's no witchcraft, no haunting, no nasty mischief. They're basically silly characters, offering parents a good way to introduce young children to them in a way that might later neutralize potentially scarier meetings. This book will not give my three year old nightmares - she may, however dream of pumpkin pie.

In Erica Silverman's _Big Pumpkin_, a witch tries to get her big pumpkin off the vine, so she can make pumpkin pie. A mummy, a vampire, a ghost and a bat each stop by and try to pull the pumpkin from the vine. They succeed when they all pull together. Later they share the pumpkin pie.

Schindler's illustrations are hilarious. The image of the mummy trying to pull the pumpkin from the vine is one i will never forget... the image of the bat eating pumpkin pie is another one. Both I and my (3 year old) son find this book very funny. The story is simple and repetitive...there is nothing really scary or morbid here at all.

In my opinion, this is an ideal Halloween picture book for 3- and 4-year olds.

I have a 3 year old who is just a nut about Halloween and pumpkins. This book is just the perfect story for him and he loves it year round...so far. It's the story of a witch who grows an absolutely huge pumpkin. But the Pumpkin is so big that she cannot get it off the vine and moved. She enlists the aid of similar denizens of the night including a ghost, vampire, mummy, and a bat but none of them can get the Pumpkin moved...until they figure out it takes teamwork and cooperation to get the job done. A truly hilarious story that teachs kids about cooperation. The book is spooky, but never scary. The illustrations are colorful and bold and attractive to especially younger kids. Erica Silverman has made a delightful book that is simply too good to be read only at Halloween time.

Every night when my three-year-old goes to bed either my wife or I read to her. I love it this time of year because we read this book over and over and never get tired of it.

This book features a number of horror icons: a witch, a ghost, a vampire, a mummy, and a bat. But they are all presented humorously as they struggle with the same problem, how to move a huge pumpkin to the witch's house so she can bake pumpkin pie for Halloween?

The witch, ghost, vampire, and mummy each take a stab at moving it, only to each fail individually. When the bat shows up, he has the answer.

Not only is this tale funny and entertaining, it contains some subtle messages, i.e., size and strength aren't everything, brains are usually better than brawn, and teamwork is the best way to accomplish a daunting task.

We read this so much that I just bought a new copy as the old one is pretty worn after a being read on-and-off over the past year. A truly great read at Halloween.

I don't know how we got this book, but what a treasure. My daughter loves the rythym and build of this book. The characters build upon each others' attempt to pluck a witch's pumpkin from her vine. It features the witch, a vampire, a mummy and a bat. They are all non-threatening as the goal is to make and eat a pumkin pie.

It inspired us to plant our own three pumkin seeds this year. She asks great questions about the book still after at least 100 reads. It's a jewel, pick it up and enjoy.

My three year old son and six year old daughter can't get enough of this book, they think it's very funny and entertaining!

I have been reading this book every Halloween for many many years now (I'm 16 now). I love this book, but have lost it, and am glad to know it is here for me to buy. Get it, it's great!!!

As a Kindergarten teacher I look forward to Halloween year after year because of this book. The children love it and want to read it again and again. This book would not be complete without the tape. It is repetitive and fun to listen to. The children read/sing right along.