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Overview
Through the seasons, Cat and Mouse work together in the garden.
Together, they watch seeds that turn into plants in the spring,
and plants that turn into flowers in the summer,
and flowers that turn into pumpkins in the fall!
And when their pumpkins are finally ready, Mouse gives the best surprise of all to his friend, Cat!
Anne Mortimer’s charming story about friendship and discovery is perfect for any season.
Editorials
Publishers Weekly
In this tender story, Mouse teaches charcoal-colored, emerald-eyed Cat how to grow a pumpkin: “Mouse found a watering can. ‘What now?’ asked Cat. ‘Time to water the seeds,’ said Mouse.” When they plant the seedlings and two crows appear, they make a scarecrow, and when the pumpkins are finally ripe Mouse cuts into one with a knife, telling Cat, “I am going to make you a surprise!” Mortimer’s naturalistic yet whimsical scenes exude old-fashioned Halloween charm. Ages 4–7. (Aug.)Children's Literature -
Cat wants to grow pumpkins, but does not know how. Mouse helps Cat through the process of planting and watering the seeds in May, protecting the plants from pests like crows, and finally picking the pumpkins in October. When Cat asks a question, Mouse is always there to give the answer. By working together, Cat and Mouse are able to successfully grow and pick a pumpkin in time for Halloween. Mortimer's life-like and detailed illustrations show readers the parts of a growing pumpkin and the steps in carving a pumpkin without making the story a list of the process. Included on the last page are step-by-step instructions for the reader to grow their own pumpkins. Perfect for lessons and units about seeds, plants, and harvest, Pumpkin Cat will show young readers the steps taken to successfully grow a pumpkin plant. This title will also accompany Halloween in the classroom, with Mouse carving Cat a jack-o-lantern to celebrate Halloween at the end of the story. Reviewer: Anne PechnyoKirkus Reviews
Cat wonders how pumpkins grow, and Mouse is happy to show him, in this seasonal offering for beginning readers.
A simple explanation of the seed-to-pumpkin process sets the animals to filling a pot with soil, planting seeds, watering the plant, waiting and watching it grow, making a scarecrow, picking the pumpkin and carving a jack-o'-lantern. A more thorough exploration can be found in Gail Gibbons' Pumpkin Book (1999), with which beginning readers may already be familiar, so this brief story may be better suited to preschoolers just testing their green thumbs. In her signature style, Mortimer focuses on the cute, cuddly qualities of Cat and Mouse. Oval-framed close-ups and full-bleed spreads capture the unlikely animal friends working together. The final page is the most informative, presenting fleshed-out instructions for growing pumpkins, but ultimately there is little to harvest here.
Sweet but bland, this title could still find an audience in autumn. (Early reader. 3-5)