There’s a frost forecast for Michigan tonight. I picked the last green tomatoes this afternoon and admired the trees’ new cloaks of red, yellow, and orange. The weather has taken a decidedly fall turn, and I’ve got a couple of new seasonal picture books to share (thanks to Candlewick Press for the review copies!)
Patricia Toht’s Pick a Pumpkin is a fun rhyming picture book that starts at a pumpkin patch, continues to a carving festival, and ends with a Jack O’Lantern glowing on Halloween night. The book speaks directly to the reader/listener, instructing them in all the ways of pumpkin preparation.
I especially love the descriptions of the choices for the pumpkin carver to consider. Here’s my favorite, describing the options for the mouth:
A kiss. A frown.
A toothy grin.
A zigzag gap
cut long and thin.
A smirk. A snarl.
An eerie O.
Or pointy fangs,
all in a row.
Great rhymes, great language, and loads of fun! And the illustrations by Jarvis are captivating and kid-friendly.
Kim Norman’s Give Me Back My Bones is not specifically a Halloween tale, but would also be a great one to share this time of year. And shiver me timbers, this clever book combines a little skeletal science with a pirate’s rhyming tale! I adore the clever bony descriptions with pirate references in each stanza, and the penultimate rhyme scheme.
Consider the scapula:
Who can spot my shoulder blade,
my shrugging jacket-holder blade,
my shiver-when-I’m-colder blade?
Oh, scapula, come back!
I can imagine kids poring over the illustrations, spotting the missing bones, and having fun showing-off their new knowledge of bone nomenclature. And as a writer, I am inspired to emulate this rhyme scheme…. some day!
And now, to shift away from autumnal thoughts, I’ve got some exciting winter/spring news to share. My upcoming picture book, On a Snow-Melting Day: Seeking Signs of Spring got a starred review from Kirkus! I am thrilled, gob-smacked, flabbergasted, astonished, and amazed! Click here to read Kirkus’ puddle-wonderful words.
Be sure to visit Alphabet Soup where Jama is hosting the Poetry Friday party, and sharing a few poems from Charles Ghigna’s new book, Dear Poet.
Love these, Buffy. Both have been featured giveaways on our STEAM OWERED POETRY vlog. They are treasures!
Thanks for sharing both of these fun Halloweeny books Buffy! I especially liked hearing about “Give Me Back My Bones” as this is the first I’ve heard about it, and I like the science snuck in there!
Woo hoo! Great news on your new book. I love both of the books you shared but the bones one definitely has me wanting more.
Thanks, Kay. Yes, go read Give Me Back My Bones!!
Lovely review of PICK A PUMPKIN and GIVE ME BACK MY BONES! You have great taste in books! Also sending my congrats and high fives on the great attention your new book is getting. Yay for you!
Thanks for stopping by, Heidi! What’s not to love about those two books?!
Buffy, I thought I commented on your post but it must have not gone through. Congratulations on the great review of your book. There’s always another season to drool over poetry. As for the autumnal books you are reviewing, they sound wonderful. I particularly like the rhyme in Pick a Pumpkin and I am sure little ones will enjoy it too.
Thanks again, Carol–yes, the Pick a Pumpkin rhymes will certainly appeal to young listeners!
Buffy, congratulations on the starred review! Woohoo! I can’t wait to read your book.
Thank you, Linda–I appreciate it!
Congratulations on your Kirkus starred review! I’m looking forward to your new book!
Thank you, Mary Lee–hope it’s one that would fun to use in a classroom!
Buffy, congratulations to you on your new book and the fabulous review? Did you take the photos in the books? Thanks also for sharing the poetry books that look like they would be great reads for my little granddaughter.
Thanks, Carol. Most of the photos our stock photography–but a few are mine (which is very exciting!) Yes, I think your granddaughter would enjoy these books.
Congratulations again on your Kirkus star!!! And thanks for this introduction to these two fun books. The scapula poem made me smile!
Isn’t that scapula verse terrific, April? Thanks for stopping by to read!
Wowie! Congrats on the star review! That’s wonderful. These two books are simply adorable. And, they will get kids in love with reading in rhythm and rhyme. I’ve had a peek at Give Me Back My Bones and it’s good science-y fun.
I love the fun science/poetry in Give Me Back My Bones, too! I think both will be hits with the younger crowd.
Congratulations on your Kirkus star! What a wonderful review. I will be looking forward to reading this with my grandkids!
Thanks Cheriee–hope your grandkids enjoy it!
Hey, some of us already knew you were a star, Buffy. I’m glad that Kirkus figured it out too! 🙂
Thanks for sharing these delightful seasonal PB reads today—they look really fun!
Aw shucks, Michelle… yes, these books are both tons of fun.
Congrats on the starred review — from Kirkus, no less, quite a coup!! Looking forward to reading the book next year.
And thanks for sharing these new fall books. Haven’t seen Kim’s book yet, looks fabulous. 🙂
I saw that you had reviewed Pick a Pumpkin, Jama. You will definitely enjoy Give Me Back My Bones! And thanks again for being the hostess with the mostest today.
Yippee to you on your starred review! And these two books look wonderful. I will have to read them from cover to cover.
They are eminently readable, Liz!
Congratulations, Buffy! What a fabulous review! I can’t wait to get my hands on your book– It certainly sounds like its brimming with gorgeous illustrations and clever word play. Thanks also for sharing the other two books. I’m sure my kids would have had a blast searching for skeleton’s missing bones!
Thanks, Molly. Some day your photos should grace a book like the ones Millbrook is now putting out!
Congratulations on your star! Thanks for sharing the fun books. I bet my kids would have loved the bone book.
I was thinking the same when I read that one, Ann. They would have been spouting off those big words after a few readings.
Congrats, Buffy!! I’m not a bit surprised 🙂
Love the clever scapula verse! Both of the books you shared look eminently re-readable.
Isn’t that scapula verse a delight? Yes, both books are ones to enjoy over and over again.
CONGRATULATIONS, Buffy. Can’t wait to read your book. I know it will be wonderful and the starred review is perfect. I am sure it is so deserving and not a surprise. I was just at the HIghlights Poetry workshop with Rebecca Kai Dotlich and she was mentioning that you had taken her course. I know she is thrilled for you, too.
A surprise to me, Janet! But thanks for your confidence–glad you got to go to Highlights again. Someday I will return!