Pooh’s Pumpkin
By Isabel Gaine
Review by: Yvonne Gaudet
What would we do without this adorable little bear and his rumbly tummy! The Hundred Acre Woods would not be the same! As this adventure starts, Pooh sees Rabbit planting some seeds in his garden and asks him what he is planting. When Rabbit tells him they are pumpkin seeds, Pooh says he would like to grow a pumpkin too. Rabbit tells Pooh that growing a pumpkin takes a lot of work, he must be sure to take special care of the pumpkin plant. Pooh promises to do just that, so he receives his very own pumpkin seed to plant. Christopher Robin helps Pooh Bear find a good spot near Pooh’s house and together they plant the seed. Christopher Robin tells Pooh it will take a long time before Pooh’s pumpkin starts to grow, but Pooh remembers his promise to rabbit, and vows to keep it. So with all his honey pots gathered around him, Pooh sits and watches, and eats, and watches, and eats some more. Finally as spring turns into summer a small vine appears. In the middle of summer, Piglet tells Pooh “what a nice vine Pooh,” but now Pooh is sad, he had been trying to grow a pumpkin not a vine. None the less, he had made a promise to Rabbit and he was determined to keep it! By the end of the summer, Owl pointed out to Pooh that his vine had a flower on it. Again Pooh is sad because he wanted to grow a pumpkin not a flower. Owl tells him not to worry. He tells Pooh that a vine with a flower on it is normal, and soon he will see his cucumber in the flowers spot. Pooh wants a pumpkin, not a cucumber, but none the less, he waters and tends to his plant. As Autumn begins to come to the Hundred Acre Woods, Eeyore notices a strange green ball growing on Pooh’s vine. Again Pooh tells us that he wanted a pumpkin, not a flower, not a cucumber, and surely not a green ball! As days pass, Pooh�s green ball grows bigger and bigger, as does Pooh’s belly from all his honey eating, until finally it begins to turn orange! Could it possibly be what Pooh has been waiting for, after all this time?
This book is a “Winnie the Pooh First Reader,” which means it is very simple for beginning readers. Colorful pictures on every page and fewer words makes it fun for the little ones. I found this book to be a great educational story as well, because the story revolves around the growth cycle of a pumpkin, something that every child would like to learn. After reading this book would be a great time to carve your pumpkins! Don’t forget to save your seeds! Who knows, maybe Pooh will watch as your pumpkin grows too!
