Pumpkin Fiesta

My library put this book on a seasonal display for harvest-time & Halloween, and I'm so glad they did! My 3-1/2 year old daughter has asked for this so often that I've had to renew it from the library several times. The artwork is fun, and the story has a few lessons to teach, but all with a laugh on many pages, as the pumpkin thief really is silly. My daughter and I have been gardening together for the past 2 summers, so the focus on growing & nurturing plants is just right for us. There's also the clear moral lesson about stealing being wrong. But, I think my favorite part is that at the end, when the thief is brought to light in front of the whole town: Instead of getting his "just desserts" and being ostracized in some way, Old Juana the pumpkin grower offers to teach Foolish Fernando how to grow his own pumpkins. So the final page is of the two on Pumpkin Hill, teacher and eager student. Definitely a nice lesson to my preschooler on how to move forward after someone has done you wrong & has apologized. And my daughter and I can't wait to try out the pumpkin soup recipe at the end!

What a delight... even I laughed out loud near the beginning of the book. My children (avid gardeners) loved this clever little book.

As a children's librarian, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I'm sure children will be entralled by the story's humor and suspense and also by the illustrations vivid hues, which transport readers to a village in San Miguel. This book will be especially coveted in the fall when teachers and families enjoy pumpkin-themed books, but it is rollicking tale, worthy of reading all year long.

Caryn Yacowitz has produced a winner. Pumpkin Fiesta is the charming tale of Old Juana, whose devotion to her pumpkin crop has gained her acclaim in her province. Young children learn from the funny exploits of Foolish Fernando, Old Juana's bumbling imitator, that empty gesture is not what has meaning and that true success is reached by acting with passion and energy. While paying appropriate homage to the original storyteller, Ms. Yacowitz gives the story her own terrific spin, elegantly juxtaposing English and Spanish. My three year-old was instantly enthralled by this book, and has learned, laughed and been enriched many times over.

Caryn Yacowitz has written a charming version of an old tale from Spanish literature. She cleverly changed the main character to a woman and made the thief into a foolish fellow who learns a lesson. Joe Cepeda's artwork is fresh and lively, perfect for the folktale nature of this story. My only complaint is that the author or editor did not give due credit to the origin of this tale. It is based on a story from Spain from the mid-1800s by Pedro Antonio de Alarcon, "El libro talonario." This information would have been helpful as back matter to the story. Students familiar with the original tale could then appreciate the creative changes made in the new tale.