Too Many Pumpkins

Rebecca Estelle lives alone and hates pumpkins due to memories from her childhood during the Great Depression. When a truck drops a pumpkin in her yard, she ignores it and buries it in her garden. The pumpkin incident leads to unexpected developments in Rebecca's garden, forcing her to confront her feelings about pumpkins. Her initial resistance gives way as she must decide how to handle an abundance of the very thing she dislikes. Through one woman's experience with an unwanted garden surprise, this story explores themes of transformation and the power of turning negative situations into positive opportunities. The narrative demonstrates how past experiences shape our preferences but don't have to define our future choices.

Readers appreciate this children's book for its message about making the best of unwanted situations and turning negatives into positives. Parents and teachers report the book resonates with children ages 4-8. What readers liked: - Fall/autumn theme and harvest imagery - The character transformation of Rebecca Estelle - Cheryl Carlin's illustrations - Works well as a classroom read-aloud - Teaches problem-solving What readers disliked: - Some found the initial premise unrealistic - A few noted the story drags in the middle - Price point considered high for length Ratings: Goodreads: 4.3/5 (2,900+ ratings) Amazon: 4.8/5 (580+ ratings) Scholastic: 4.9/5 (90+ ratings) Notable reader comments: "Perfect for teaching children about overcoming obstacles" - Goodreads reviewer "The illustrations capture the cozy autumn mood perfectly" - Amazon reviewer "Students request this one year after year" - Teacher on Scholastic

The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by :::Margo ZimmerAn elderly woman encounters walking, clanking objects on her nighttime walk through the forest and transforms them into a festive garden scarecrow.

My Garden by Kevin Henkes A child plants seashells and jelly beans in her imaginary garden, where the flowers never die and carrots grow in multiple colors.

The Biggest Pumpkin Ever by Steven Kroll Two mice care for the same pumpkin without knowing about each other and work together to win a competition at the state fair.

The Gourd Sisters@@@ by Kathleen Coleman Three sisters plant their garden with magical seeds that grow into gourds which they use to help their community during winter.

Tops and Bottoms by Janet Stevens A clever hare outsmarts a lazy bear through a series of vegetable-growing arrangements in their shared garden plot.

🎃 Author Linda White was inspired to write this story based on her own childhood memories of helping her father grow a large vegetable garden. 🎃 The book's main character, Rebecca Estelle, is named after White's grandmother, who also disliked certain foods from childhood experiences. 🎃 Pumpkins can grow to be incredibly large - the world record for heaviest pumpkin is 2,702 pounds, grown by Stefano Cutrupi in Italy in 2021. 🎃 The illustrator, Megan Lloyd, created the book's warm autumn scenes using watercolor and pen-and-ink techniques, carefully researching historic rural architecture to accurately depict Rebecca's farmhouse. 🎃 The story subtly teaches children about the plant life cycle, as readers follow the pumpkin seeds from accidental planting through harvest, and includes themes of turning reluctance into generosity.