Customer Reviews

Me and the Pumpkin Queen

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4 star:		(2)
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I am a former 1st, 4th and 5th grade teacher. I now teach graduate level courses to future teachers preparing to teach elementary school. Me and the Pumpkin Queen is delightful from start to finish and I wish that I had it when I taught 4th and 5th grade years ago. I believe my advanced readers as well as my reluctant readers would have enjoyed it. It is written in a straightforward way without being "flowery" or overly simplistic. The voice of the main charater is clear and genuine.

The main character, Mildred, is a determined and well grounded 5th grade girl who wants to grow a giant pumpkin. The book contains elements of growing up and a platonic friendship between Mildred and her best freind, Jacob. Both of these issues are written about in a tasteful and realistic way. Mildred's father is a veterinarian and she discusses his work and the animals they encounter. I think that this element, among others, will make this book appealing to both boys and girls. Mildred also reflects upon the loss of her mother when she was only six and she deals with her grief through the pumpkin growing process. This is a strong theme in the book that is beautifully and subtle handled. Mildred also has an aunt who has other ideas for her than growing giant pumpkins. All of these themes are written about gracefully and age appropriately, which is very refreshing.

I was deeply satisfied with the ending (I won't give it away!) and will recommend this book to my future students and also to my friends who have children that are the age of Mildred. I look forward to reading future books by this author.

I recommend this book to all children of the age specified and/or parents, teachers, after school directors, baby-sitters - well you get the idea... Anyone who spends time with children, this is a wonderful read, meant to be shared and savoured.

To honor her Mom, eleven year old Mildred is determined to win the Circleville, Ohio, Pumpkin Show and fulfill a dream left undone by her mother's untimely death. However, with each passing season something goes inherently wrong and her dreams are dashed again and again. Aunt Arlene is more than a bit concerned about Mildred's apparent obsession with pumpkins and tries, in her overtly pushy way, to persuade her niece to pursue more feminine interests, such as make up and fancy clothing. Thankfully, Mildred's dad doesn't agree with Auntie Arlene and continues to support his daughter and her individual dreams. Knowing and understanding his only daughter in ways that only a father can, he is able to challenge Mildred to take her future into her own hands and follow her heart with unbridled passion. Thus allowing herself to grow into the incredible young woman her mother always knew she would one day become.

Kennedy's attention to detail proves this to be a well researched novel that introduces readers to the relatively unknown competitions that require much more than good seeds and luck to produce a thousand pound champion. Well crafted and heartwarming, the characters could easily be members of your own family or next door neighbors. The narrative reads like a family tale told over a huge dinner, with lots of laughs, a few tears and the busy body aunt that always means well but just can't quite find the right way to express herself without appearing... well, pushy. This is a coming of age tale that will be enjoyed by all, despite their age. A magical journey that is more about Mildred's inner growth than that of her pumpkins. Chosen as a Junior Library Guild Selection, Marlane Kennedy's solo debut, Me and the Pumpkin Queen is a first place read.

Happy Reading!
RJ xx
3Rs-Real Reader Reviews

Mildred may only be eleven years old, but she has an obsession. Unlike most girls her age, it isn't clothes or boys. It's giant pumpkins.

Now this isn't as strange as it sounds. Mildred lives in Circleville, Ohio, and has spent every October enjoying the annual pumpkin festival. The display of giant pumpkins always fascinated her mother, and her mother always planned to try to grow one herself some day.

The year Mildred's mother died, Mildred decided to grow a giant pumpkin herself. Over the last five years, she has learned everything she can. And over the last five years, something has happened every year to ruin her chances. Will this be the year that Mildred is able to submit a pumpkin of her own for the contest?

This is a wonderful book. All the characters are wonderful and real. Even the aunt who thinks that Mildred needs to give up her pumpkin growing is realistic and well drawn. And the obstacles that Mildred faces along the way are realistic. I had no interest in growing pumpkins of any kind, but I got so caught up in Mildred's quest that I felt every joy and set back right along with her.

Since this is a coming of age book, there are a couple scenes that might make boys uncomfortable involving Mildred getting her first bras. For this man, they were worth noting only in passing.

This is an entertaining and emotional book that will satisfy anyone who reads it.

Mildred dreams big dreams in the shape of a pumpkin. This may seem strange to some people, and it especially does to her Aunt Arlene, who's convinced Mildred should start acting and dressing like girls her own age. It's not normal, according to Aunt Arlene, for 11-year-old girls to spend every single summer cultivating a tiny seed and trying to grow it into a giant pumpkin. Even if it is to win the Circleville Pumpkin Show's giant pumpkin contest.

But to Mildred, it makes perfect sense for her to try to make her mother's wish come true. The former Pumpkin Show Queen died when Mildred was only six, but Mildred still remembers how much she loved those huge pumpkins, and that she'd mentioned a desire to take home the prize for the largest pumpkin.

So, with the help of her veterinarian father and her best friend, Jacob, Mildred once again sets out on her pumpkin growing adventure, with her eye on the prize.

Librarians across the country are already selecting this book as a top choice for young students, and I can see why. The narrative voice is strong, and Mildred's control over her own world is enviable. Some challenges on her road to success bring the story home and have the reader rooting for the little girl with the big dreams.

Look for this genuinely sweet read on the shelves!

Reviewed by: Julie M. Prince

This is one of those books that sneaks up on you. It caught me off guard. Based on some positive reviews I'd read and the back cover blurb, I expected it to be cute. I thought I'd kind of like it. I didn't expect to be so swept up in Mildred's quest to grow the perfect giant pumpkin that I was tempted to ignore my 7th period English class today.

But I was.

Marlane Kennedy captures the voice of a fifth grader who has settled into life with her dad after her mother's death and explores the very real issues that face fifth grade girls - shopping for a first bra, getting ears pierced, and dealing with a bossy aunt. I found hints of Judy Blume in the coming of age parts of this book and big servings of warm humor on just about every page. Add to that one huge issue - growing a HUGE pumpkin, and protecting it from bugs, fungus, drought, and tornadoes - and you have one amazing book.

I was enchanted by the story and terribly intrigued by the process of growing a giant pumpkin. I kind of want to try and grow one myself now. Mostly, though, I want to stand up and cheer for Mildred and for Marlane Kennedy. ME AND THE PUMPKIN QUEEN is a little book with a giant-pumpkin sized heart.

I think it was an attempt to hang on to the last of Fall. Doesn't that cover just look Fall-y? And, I've grown to think very highly of the Greenwillow Books label!

In Me and the Pumpkin Queen, we meet Mildred.

"There's a bunch of T-shirts with sparkly words on them: Princess, Spoiled, Sweet. I see an orange one with the word Pumpkin in a fancy lettering and grab it. Not only does it catch my attention for obvious reasons, but Mama used to call me Pumpkin. She didn't care for the name Mildred either, even though that is what she named me. She named me Mildred 'cause my grandma, her mother-in-law, never cared for her when she first married Daddy, and that bothered her something awful. Mama thought if she named me after her, Grandma would like her more. Mama was very smart. It worked. Grandma was nearly as brokenhearted as Daddy and I were when Mama died."

It really ended up being a cute book! It's about Mildred's adventures in grieving the loss of her mother and simply growing up. I don't recommend this book for boys, by the way. There's nothing bad at all about it, but I don't think little boys need to be reading about how a girl feels about getting her first bra. ;)

Ever since Mildred's mother died, she's been trying to grow giant pumpkins. Me and the Pumpkin Queen tells of her 4th year of raising pumpkins. I was really surprised that I seemed to be holding my breath waiting to see the outcome of the pumpkins.

If you're looking for a really sweet, quick, light read, Me and the Pumpkin Queen is definitely a good choice!!

I bought this book for a yound reader, but as an adult, I found the book delightful and very interesting. Chock full of details about pumpkin growing, informative but not boring. The main character, Mildred, is extremely likable and easy for one of any age to identify with. She is going throught some difficult periods in life, and the book addresses these issues in a sympathetic but never morbid way. Would recommend to readers of any age. A great addition to the young reader section of a library.

I loved this book from the first page! I'm a future educator and was assigned this book to read for one of my classes. Marlane Kennedy has such a fun, quirky style of writing--sounds more like you're talking to Mildred than reading about her, and more like you're there than watching from the sidelines!! great read-aloud or independent reader :)

This was purchased for a our local library. Can't comment on the book itself, as I haven't read it. But shipping was fast and book was in the condition promised.

I spotted this @ the bkstore sometime back & ordered it for my 9 1/2 yr old 4th grade daughter to read this fall. She read most of it out loud to me, & we could barely put it down. The end brought tears to my eyes. If you like Beverly Cleary's Ramona bks, &/or Deborah Wiles' Ruby Lavender & Each Little Bird That Sings, you will take to Marlane Kennedy's character, Mildred, & Circleville, regardless of whether or not you are interested in pumpkins. Within the focus on pumpkins, the author interweaves humor, growing up, family relationships, grieving over the death of a parent, & success & failure. We are watching for the 3/2009 release of The Dog Days of Charlotte Hays, & wishing there were more Mildred/Pumpkin Queen out there.