Bill Martin (1) (1916–2004)

The narrator of this poetic picture book selects the perfect pumpkin guardian for his yard on Halloween night, carving it into a jack-o-lantern and setting it out. Unbeknownst to him however, this particular pumpkin is magic—the leader of the foolies against which he is meant to be guarding. It falls to the narrator to then plunge the jack-o-lantern into darkness by snuffing out his candle, thereby putting an end to the spell...

Although quite familiar with co-authors Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault—the pair also co-authored the classic Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, and Martin collaborated with Eric Carle on Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? and sequels—The Magic Pumpkin is the first of their books that I have actually picked up and read. I thought I would thoroughly enjoy it, given the authors' reputation, the cover image, and the Halloween theme, but instead I found myself mostly indifferent. The poetic text felt a little awkward in its structure, the story didn't speak to me, and I found the accompanying artwork from illustrator Robert J. Lee uninspiring. I did like the brief appearance of the two foxes, who "came out of the wood like hooded witches," but other than that, this is one I can take or leave. I'm glad to have finally picked it up, as I've been curious about it for a few years, but I don't strongly recommend it.… (más)

The perfect pumpkin is chosen to be a guard on Halloween night. It is given eyes, a nose, and a grinning mouth, and it came to life with candlelight. It seems the jack-o'-lantern was up to no good though. So just like that, the magic disappeared in a puff of smoke.

The Bottom Line: Lee’s whimsical illustrations bring this seasonal story to life. Read this tale of mischief and magic with little ones ages 4 – 6.

This review also appears at the rel="nofollow" target="_top">Mini Book Bytes Book Review Blog.… (más)