Each fall, autumn spices fragrant homes. Plump pumpkins wait patiently in viney patches to become decorations and November pies. Toddlers delight in outdoor activities and indoor storytime and I start thinking of creating a new gallery of artistic expressions.
In the beginning of autumn, my family and granddaughters took a trip to the pumpkin patch. We had great fun choosing our favorite pumpkins, pulling them off the vine, and carrying them to the wagon. When arriving home, I gathered my autumn books for our read aloud time. It just so happened that in September Jama Rattigan shared a vividly illustrated picture book, How to Help Pumpkin Grow by Ashley Wolff. The added bonus was a giveaway of the book that I won. I could not believe my luck.
As soon as the book arrived, I excitedly opened the packet and found a delightful small piece of artwork with a greeting, Happy Fall. In addition, another piece of artwork with a sweet author's message was included.
I read the book again and was charmed by its rhythmic beat, rhyming words, and story content. I knew that my grandgirls would enjoy the illustrations and storyline especially since they already experienced picking pumpkins off a vine. I was right. Twenty-one-month Aurora sat still on my lap as I read her the book. She enjoyed the main character, Doggie as she called him and loved turning the pages. When four-year-old Sierra came into the house and saw the Happy Fall card she immediately placed it in her little hands and wanted to read the book. Being curious, she wanted to find out more about the question inside the jacket cover.
As we read, we paused at the following page to compare the illustration with the real-life experience of pumpkin picking.
Both of my granddaughters enjoy baking so this page made us yearn for fresh pumpkin pie.
The end of the book had Sierra trying to figure out the last rhyming word.
The book was a hit with the toddlers, as I thought it would be. An added bonus to the book was the introduction of a tiny mouse hidden on pages throughout the book. Next time we read the book showcased in my foyer we will take a closer look and try to locate the mouse as he pops out in different pages. Sierra gave the book a "good" review. From a toddler's point of view that rating is high.
from pumpkin picking
to book reading, autumn delights
pumpkin pie up next
©CV, 2021
**********
two girls and a book
sweetly cuddled together
grandma pride
©CV, 2021
🍁🍃🍂
Gratitude to Ashley Wolff for writing and illustrating such a child-friendly book that adults will love as much as children.
-SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT-
I am delighted to host the Poetry Friday Roundup next week.
I will present a sneak peek of
my Global Gallery of Artistic Expressions,
Bedecked In Autumn.
How to Help Pumpkin Grow will be the featured book.
🍁🍃🍂
It's Poetry Friday and the talented Matt Forrest Esenwine is our host for the Roundup (click here). Matt is sharing the one-year anniversary of Friends & Anemones: Ocean Poems for Children. I remember when it was published. There are 70 poems by well-known authors, including Matt.
What a sweet share-out this is. I miss those cuddly, snuggly reading times with littles. All that curiosity and enthusiasm for baking is pure joy. I feel like I got to be a part of it too by stopping by here. All wonderful gifts of Autumn. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Linda, for your lovely comment. For the last 7 years I have been consulting with school districts and working with teachers. It is refreshing seeing literacy from the eyes of a child now. Have a wonderful weekend, even with the soggy weather.
DeleteHow delightful. I loved reading of these memories and am fascinated by the fun of pumpkin picking. My imagination has it being idyllic/quaint - but in reality, we picked 50 acres of pumpkins one year - and it was hard (and hot/gritty) work!! (Though we did time it perfectly onto the market - so that was good!) I like my imagined version better.😹 And I love all this detail about your reading of the book. It's reminding me of a much, much simpler board book,'Grow, Little Seed', and reading with our boys when my youngest was still too wriggly-mischief for long stories. (In fact, it was the first book we read cover-to-cover. All 100wrds.)
ReplyDeleteKat, thanks for your quick email. Picking pumpkins in 90+ degree weather was a bit of a strain so we made sure that we filled our wagon quickly. Photos of the pumpkin patch trip are at https://beyondliteracylink.blogspot.com/2021/10/visit-to-pumpkin-patch.html. I will try to find "Grow, Little Seed" to read to the girls. The sweetest piece of a read aloud is to see the rewards-two little girls rereading the book in their toddler way. Have a wonderful day, Kat.
DeleteI've been hearing about this book, so thanks for sharing more of it here, Carol...happy fall!
ReplyDeleteThe book is a joyous one, Matt. You will be busy this weekend, responding to PF writers so enjoy blog hopping.
DeleteBecause Imogene's favorite taste is pumpkin, pie & bread, this will be a special book for her, Carol. I love the way you shared it intertwined with Aurora, Sierra, & your memories. How wonderful to get those 'extras' from Ashley, too! Happy weekend!
ReplyDeleteAshley did an amazing job of writing a book that delights little ones. I am in love with the taste of pumpkin too and everything spice related. Enjoy your weekend in Colorado. It is raining here but the tree colors still sparkle.
DeleteLove this post and hearing about you sharing the book with your grand girls. What a lovely note from Ashley with a special piece of art. :) I am really craving pumpkin pie now.
ReplyDeleteI give thanks to you, Jama, for connecting me with Ashley. I plan on sending her the link to this post so she can know how grateful we are for her talent and creativity as an author and illustrator.
DeleteSo much goodness in this post, Carol. The season, the grandgirls, the pie, the poetry! I share your grandma pride... it is priceless. Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteKaren, a Grandma Club should start at PF. We all have stories, photos, and wonderful tales of being a Grandma. Thanks for sharing my joy.
DeleteThank you for letting us share in your experience of reading this book with your granddaughters! So much fun!
ReplyDeleteOh, I'm glad you won the drawing for this sweet book. I liked reading about it earlier, and now seeing you and your granddaughters enjoy it is sweet. Your gratikus also show such joy you find in being with those sweet grand girls. Enjoy! See you here next Friday!
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful! The book and especially the read-aloud time!
ReplyDeleteRuth, you just reminded me to bring a book with me this afternoon. My daughter is heating a large chicken pot pie and I baked fresh apple bread for our dinner in a couple of hours. We are all hoping my husband will not have intense pain in his hip, lower back, and leg while we are at my granddaughters' house.
DeleteCarol, I love everything about this post. The book looks wonderful, and the added bonus of the artwork and note was so special. I'm going to add this one to my wish list! Thank you for sharing it here.
ReplyDeleteCarol, What a great review and lovely book! I love books about pumpkins and might have to add this one to my collection...I hope I'll have grandkids to share it with someday! Your posts are always so upbeat and positive. Thanks for sharing your pumpkin picking pride!
ReplyDeleteWhat a feel-good delightful post Carol, I love "How to Help Pumpkin Grow" too! Sounds like your granddaughter's are enjoying it immensely and how timely it was for all of you. Looking forward to your Autumn post next week, thanks!
ReplyDeleteI love this post.What a treat for the littles. The first haiku resonates so much with autumn.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful book Carol! How did I miss this. As a Kindergarten teacher I of course recognize the familiar pooch from the Ashley's "Miss Bindergarten" series. I can't wait to get a copy myself, even if it doesn't have that lovely inscription. I love that it and your pumpkin patch visit inspired two sweek haiku.
ReplyDeleteChristie, you will love this book. I am so grateful for Ashley's wonderful inscription and the lovely fall image she sent me. Fall is such a glorious time of year. Do you have a photo and poem to add to my gallery? I am revealing the PF version of the gallery tomorrow and a Slicer version next week.
DeleteOoh, this looks like a fabulous book! And the stories of your grandgirls are always so charming. Like a peek into your heart.
ReplyDelete