The Ugly Pumpkin [Hardcover]

Dave Horowitz (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 2 and up

No one wants to take home the Ugly Pumpkin. Sure, he doesn't look like any of the other pumpkins, but why does everyone have to tease him so much? The poor, lonely pumpkin goes in search of a place where he'll fit in - and finally discovers the truth about who he is and where he belongs.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 2–In this story that echoes Hans Christian Andersen's The Ugly Duckling, a very odd-looking pumpkin encounters harsh rejections, mainly from creatures associated with Halloween. The book contains an inventive, amusing, and surprising compilation of words and illustrations. The minimal text is rhymed, sometimes settling comfortably into a quiet corner of the riotously colorful illustrations and occasionally entering into the vivid tableau. Some children might find the wild depictions of skeletons and the creepy sneers of gnarled trees alarming, but the bright colors, bouncy rhymes, and engaging pumpkin (that turns out to be something else altogether) combine to make this a charming book on the whole, with a happy and surprising ending.–Susan Weitz, formerly at Spencer-Van Etten School District, Spencer, NY
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Review

"Inventive, amusing, and surprising. . . . The bright colors, bouncy rhymes, and engaging pumpkin combine to make this a charming book." - School Library Journal

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 2 and up
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Putnam Juvenile (August 18, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399242678
• ISBN-13: 978-0399242670
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 8.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,049,638 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

My name is Dave Horowitz. I grew up in Smithtown, New York in the 1970s. Instead of paying attention in school I drew pictures of my teachers. Then I went to a famous art college in Rhode Island and studied coloring.

In 1992 I graduated and went to Oregon to play drums and drink coffee. Then I moved to New York City and worked next door to the Twin Towers. Then I learned how to climb rocks and got fired.

Then I climbed rocks.

I moved up to the Hudson Valley and then to California and then to New Hampshire and then back to the Hudson Valley. Then I got a job as a "professional" rock climber. Then I got too old for that.

I still live in the Hudson Valley where I write and illustrate picture books. So far so good...

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun Read With A Good Message, October 4, 2005

By 

M (CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Ugly Pumpkin (Hardcover)

I am using this book for my third grade class and they love it! It is essentially the classic ugly duckling book with a holiday twist and leads to a lot of productive discussion in class. The way this version of the classic tale is written makes it a very fun read. The words become part of the image, the image becomes part of the words, and the kids have a lot of fun reading all of it out loud. The voice of the pumpkin definitely comes through in the unique narrative style. It's true that the pumpkin has no desire to be a jack-o-lantern, as a previous reviewer pointed out, but somehow this wasn't a problem to the kids or me. Why would they only like the book if the pumpkin were masochistic and wanted to be cut up? That one is a head scratcher for me. The only reason I give the book 4 stars rather than 5 is that the story is a bit simplistic, but so are most ugly duckling books written for young children. I definitely recommend this one for anyone looking for a book children will enjoy both reading on their own and being read to.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome children's book, October 5, 2005

By 

Veronica (Pough., NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Ugly Pumpkin (Hardcover)

It isn't often that I find a book that I am as enthused to read to my three-year-old son as he is to have it read to him. This is one of them. I picked it up at a local bookstore and from the first page, I was just delighted by the style of the art and the flow of the narrative. It is a simple story, but a classic one and I think it is a fantastic read for young kids. Definitely reccommended.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Poetry, Fun Story!, September 21, 2008

By 

Lynn Ellingwood "The ESOL Teacher" (Webster, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Ugly Pumpkin (Mass Market Paperback)

I think that this story has good poetry, great old fashioned pictures, and is a lot of fun. It takes care of the Halloween story and Thanksgiving in one swoop. The poor pumpkin is mishapen and is considered ugly. Others play jokes on it and no one takes him home. Does the story have a happy ending? We'll see!