Customer Reviews

It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown (Mini Ed) (Peanuts (Running Press))

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I almost feel like a traitor saying anything less than praise for this book featuring the Peanuts Gang created originally by Charles M. Schulz. I, like millions of others, grew up with Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus, Violet, Snoopy, Pig Pen, Schroeder, and Sally. Every year at Halloween I looked forward to seeing the story of sincere Linus waiting for the Great Pumpkin in the pumpkin patch. This book contains all the characters and it re-tells essentially the same story but it has been illustrated by Paige Braddock rather than Schulz and adapted by Justine and Ron Fontes and seems to have lost something in the process. The Peanuts gang always was kind of surly with each other, calling names like Blockhead, pulling footballs out from each other and laughing at one another's expense. In this story, of course, Linus is the brunt of the teasing because he has undying faith in the mythical Great Pumpkin. For years I loved watching the Charlie Brown cartoon specials, the catchy piano jazz theme and the short, big-headed kids with their flat feet and funny facial expressions. Who could help loving Snoopy as the Red Baron or little Woodstock? These cartoons have always had a decidedly adult sense of humor, sometimes rather dark humor even though children the world over have loved the cartoon kids themselves.
This book doesn't work, in my opinion, precisely because it is NOT the TV movie. As a picture book it is placed directly into the world of children's literature and as such, the innocence of the readership makes satire seem inappropriate and it comes off as bad-tempered, impatient and indifferent to the feelings of others. This is not something I want to convey to children and it is not something I like to see done to a classic. Most of the pictures show facial expressions on the kids that are either discouraged, sad, taunting or angry. There's even anguish on one little face. There are only a few smiles.
It is touted as the 35th Anniversary edition but it really doesn't celebrate much of an anniversary because it is an off-shoot of the real thing...sadly not too close to the real thing, in fact. I got this book because I had feelings of fond nostalgia for Linus and his vigil in the pumpkin patch but it made me question why I ever liked it in the first place, and that's sad.

If you own the Christmas edition one then the Great Pumpkin one is in the same format. It has interesting facts, two piano score pages,and the colored story of it. It is worth your money and is good for any Peanuts fans collection.

Um, don't really know who Paige Braddock is, or what she's doing here. When I was young there was a book adaptation which featured artwork from the tv special itself, including Snoopy's wild dogfight with the Red Baron. Tough to support a "newly re-drawn" version, especially one that's done after the creator's passing.

"It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown: The Making of a Television Classic" takes you behind the scenes of the Halloween classic. While Charles Schulz is sadly missed, executive producer Lee Mendelson and animator Bill Melendez serve up many interesting tidbits. It's surprising to hear how tentative the TV execs were, even after the monster hit that the Peanuts gang delivered with their Christmas special. At the time, Halloween was not the powerhouse holiday that it is today in the US.

This book contains the full script, along with never-before-seen photographs, storyboard excerpts, production materials, and interviews with the original child actors (who changed every few years as their voices changed). While the focus is on "Great Pumpkin," the book spans the years. (There's no interview with the Black-Eyed Peas' Fergie, though, who played Sally in one of the later TV specials.) If you enjoy this one, definitely check out the companion A Charlie Brown Christmas: The Making of a Tradition.

This book arrived in good condition and within the estimated delivery window. However, I was expecting a full-sized children's book, and was mildly disappointed to discover that this book is about 2 square inches in size and therefore difficult to read to a child (which was my intention in purchasing it). Bummer.

The book is one of series of Running Press Kids books that sells at $4.95 on Amazon. The two I bought contain about 22-24 colored pages and include about 30 stickers apiece. It's a short story of the TV series targeted toward the toddler. It's a nice little story (with stickers) for the price...for a toddler.

This item came on time, and in good condition.
I failed to read the dimensions of this book,
and was surprised when it was a little tiny book.
Would be a nice Easter Basket Gift, or Trick or Treat
surprise.

We watch this every year on TV and can't wait to read the story again and again each year. This year I shared the story with my grand daughters 3rd grade class. As always it was a hit.

This book is excellent. very beautiful and vibrant pictures. These series of new Peanuts hard cover books are the best. This is Charles Schulz art at it's finest. if you are a fan of Charles Schulz art and The Peanuts Gang you need to add this series of books to your collection. It would also make a treasured book for children as this is what it's meant to be and certainly brings the magic of the season alive.

As the season of autumn moves us from the beautiful landscape of garden colors, we find ourselves walking through a path of yellows, golds, oranges, greens, and browns. What better activity to enjoy than the reading of "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown", or if possible, viewing the VHS or DVD.

I will look at the book, once again, as I have for so many years, some of which were in the classrooms of life, both in school and wherever else we may have been. I remember the many times I read this story to the children, trying to encourage them to hold on to hope, always. Just as in the story itself, there were skeptics who complained that this story was not valuable, these same "skeptics", that is doubters, walked through their lives just as the characters in the story.

Charlie is watching as Linus is writing a letter to the Great Pumpkin, in hopes of seeing him on Halloween night. This has gone on for several years; it's a ritual with Linus, like the ritual of waiting for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. Many of the characters in the Peanuts Gang, laugh and make fun of Linus' devotion to waiting for the Great Pumpkin. The only character who just might think the Great Pumpkin will come is Sally, the little blond whispy haired girl who has a crush on Linus. She just glows when Linus speaks and she hopes that the Great Pumpkin will show himself. Even she is a reminder that we all need someone to believe in us.

As the story moves along, we all know, each of the characters has his or her hopes of getting bags of Halloween candy, cookies, and apples; some get rocks. Why? It's kind of a tradition to give rocks or stones to kids either because they need to behave better, or because someone wants to mess with them.

In the meantime, Sally is sitting with Linus, as the evening moves along and clouds darken, leaving only shadows to experience. All the other kids are checking out their goodie bags, their treat bags; some are grumbling, while others are sincerely glad to receive whatever is in their bags. Be sincere, it's in your best interest to "be happy with what you've got".

Snoopy has his own adventure, flying a World War I plane in a desert; Snoopy is a dreamer and has quite an imagination, as he finds himself imagining being back in the countryside of France, on his way to victory, he has all kinds of adventures.

As the story unfolds, that means, develops, Sally and Linus realize that the Great Pumpkin hasn't come; Linus adds his classic comment: "Wait until next year, I'll be waiting for the Great Pumpkin to come." You see, Linus "NEVER GIVES UP"; he has hope and he believes that his hope is strong enough to make it happen. So, you too, don't give up, keep hoping! This goes for grown-ups, too.

So, why would I review this book, after so many reviews, and after so many people know this story? I do so, because there are a lot believers out there, like You and Me, who need to be encouraged into believing that our positive thoughts will make the situation or wish come true, that hope is a necessary part of life. All you need to do is, .....believe!
Now, once again, I will put this old copy of the book back on the shelf, until the next time I need to read it.