Flown up to the far-northern town of Sankiluaq, in Nunavut, a group of pumpkins - hardly native flora! - are put to use as part of the local school's Halloween festivities in this engaging seasonal picture-book from Inuit-owned Inhabit Media. One pumpkin is sent to the narrator's class, and he and his fellow students enjoy carving it into a jack-o-lantern, and roasting and eating its seeds. Then he is selected to bring it home, and to place it outside his house for the night, as the local community goes trick-or-treating, and attends the annual Halloween party at the community center. Coming home that night, and lying in bed, he thinks of the tunnaat - spirits from Inuit folklore - said to roam at night...

Much like Gail Matthews' Simonie and the Dance Contest, an Inhabit Media title devoted to the Christmas festivities in a small Inuit town in Nunavut, I enjoyed When Pumpkins Fly in part because it offers a glimpse into the celebration of Halloween in a community that is unfamiliar to me, one that is culturally and geographically quite different from the one in which I myself grew up. I would imagine that it will be interesting to many young readers and listeners for the same reason, but it will also hold appeal as a story in itself. Many children enjoy the rituals and activities of Halloween, and in that sense, Margaret Lawrence's story will feel familiar, despite its unfamiliar setting. For Inuit children in Nunavut, of course, the setting will not be unfamiliar at all. I liked the incorporation of Inuit creatures into the story - Halloween is, after all, a time for all such beings to come forth - but I would have wished to see that aspect of the story expanded upon just a bit. Leaving that aside, this was an enjoyable seasonal read, with an engaging story from teacher Margaret Lawrence, and cute, cartoon-style illustrations from artist Amanda Sandland, who also illustrated Susan Aglukark's Una Huna: What Is This? Recommended to picture-book readers looking for Halloween stories with somewhat unusual settings. ( )

Pumpkins fly...in a cargo plane on the way to Sanikiluaq, Nunavut, just in time for Halloween. When the school principal hears the plane fly over, she calls the store manager to request a pumpkin for each classroom, and our lucky narrator gets to take his class's pumpkin home. After trick-or-treating and fun at the community hall, our narrator is tucked in bed, musing about the tunnaat ("ancient and wise beings that like to visit our community") and what they might do with the pumpkin.

Back matter includes helpful notes on Inuktitut pronunciation (taima, tunnaat). ( )