Linda Arms White

Forced to eat nothing but pumpkin as a child, during the Great Depression, Rebecca Estelle grew up to hate the gourd-like squash, refusing to grow it in her garden, or eat any dish in which it featured as an ingredient. But when a pumpkin fell off the back of a truck, and the seeds (which she determinedly ignored) took root in her front yard, Rebecca Estelle found that she truly did have too many pumpkins! What could a pumpkin hater do, when her front yard was taken over by the hated show more vegetable...?

Although I enjoyed Linda White's gentle tale of learning to appreciate a food that was previously hated, it is Megan Lloyd's appealing illustrations which really made Too Many Pumpkins for me! The vivid fall colors, and the endearingly expressive depictions of Rebecca Estelle and her cat companion, Esmerelda, make the tale come alive. I don't know that this will make any of my "favorites" lists, but it is a very engaging autumn story, and can be enjoyed as such, by all young readers who love the season. show less

I liked this book for many reasons. First, the illustrations in the book were very detailed and children would enjoy just looking at the artistic talent of the illustrator to tell the story. The writing flows very well and the story has a hint of suspense in the plot with what Rebecca Estelle is going to do with all the pumpkins that grew in her yard as well as what is going on in her backyard when she is avoiding it though the entire summer season. This book pushes readers to make show more predictions of what Rebecca Estelle is planning on doing. Rebecca Estelle is a strong female character with a strong personality that shows throughout the book. The big idea of this book is to agree to try new things. Rebecca Estelle had to problem solve in order to get people to come and get her pumpkin treats as well as when she had to figure out what to do with all the pumpkins that grew. Another message of the story would be to be persistent and when you have a problem, think out of the box! show less

Rebecca Estelle HATES pumpkins...with a passion!

Rebecca Estelle is a wiry, independent gray-haired old woman who lives out in the country with her calico cat, Esmeralda. She hates pumpkins because when she was a youngster her family was poor and ALL they had to eat was pumpkin. Pumpkins, pumpkins...every day for every meal. She doesn't even like to think about them.

One autumn day while she is outside raking leaves a truck loaded with pumpkins loses a pumpkin that smashes in Rebecca show more Estelle's yard and sends seeds flying every which way. She finds this very annoying.

"Well, I won't touch it," Rebecca Estelle insisted, getting her shovel from the barn.
"And I won't look at it," she added as she shoveled dirt on top of the pumpkin pieces.
"I won't think about that pumpkin ever again," she declared.
And she didn't, until...

In the spring when plants pop up she tries to get rid of them by snipping and cutting away at the vines. She refuses to tend to them and just ignores them all summer long. She won't even go over near the space where the pumpkin smashed. When autumn rolls around again and she goes out to the front of the house to rake the leaves, much to her surprise, there is a huge pumpkin patch just filled with beautiful big orange pumpkins. Her snipping and cutting only served to prune the pumpkin plants and they came back twice as hardy. At first she is horrified. There is a SEA of pumpkins!

She uses her clever ingenuity and her practical good sense to figure out a wonderful way to not only use up the pumpkins, but to attract many people to help her share the pumpkins. She ends up with a delightful party atmosphere, sharing a happy Halloween and celebrating the harvest. She patches up her differences with pumpkins once and for all.

Megan Lloyd's illustrations are utterly charming, brightly colored and filled with warm and homey country scenes. The feeling of nostalgia for crisp autumn days and the wonderful aromas of harvest baking almost leap up out of the pages. There are illustrations on every page, rich in the oranges, yellows, browns and clear blues of autumn. Beautiful details of antique farmhouse interiors and views of the outbuildings, chicken coop and garden are wonderful. Rebecca Estelle's quaint brick farmhouse with its tin roof look so warm and welcoming. Esmeralda and Rebecca Estelle are busy doing all their country chores. It's the next best thing to actually taking a trip out in the country!

The text by Linda White is unpretentious and it's as though young listeners are right there along side of Rebecca Estelle as she meets the dreaded pumpkins head on and turns a "bad" situation into a positive one. There is about a paragraph of text per double page spread with a full page illustration facing each page that carries text as well as illustration on the same page as the text. Some bright, inviting double page spreads with no text add greatly to the festive atmosphere of the book. This book is intended for 4-8 year old listeners and I have found that kids of this age group all seem to enjoy Rebecca Estelle's story. I have shared it many, many times since it was published in 1996 and it is one of my favorite autumn/Halloween books. I like it and so have the children that have shared it with me. I think one reason is that because it doesn't baby kids with an abundance of page-turning action or a magical make-believe plot but rather gently pulls them close and draws them into its realistic setting, it captures their attention with its homey, comfortable atmosphere. They get swept up in the hustle and bustle of the season. Who can resist the wonders of autumn in the country?

Rebecca Estelle is such a natural, down-home character that it's a lot of fun to trail around with her as she comes to grips with her "problem." Just wait 'til you see the inside of her kitchen!

She scooped the slimy seeds out of the pumpkins and cut away the shells. After she boiled the pumpkin meat, she mixed it with eggs, milk, sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves to make rich pies. Then Rebecca Estelle made pumpkin tarts, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin cakes. Pumpkin bread, pumpkin pudding, pumpkin cookies, until...pumpkin dishes spilled out of every cupboard, drawer and cubbyhole, and the seeds were a mountain in the corner.

You'd better get your baking supplies ready and pre-heat the oven because when children hear this story they always seem to have an appetite for PUMPKINS...and so will you. show less

Too Many Pumpkins by Linda White is a charming and funny story about dealing with more pumpkins than you can handle. The colorful illustrations bring the story to life, and the gentle humor makes it enjoyable for kids and adults alike. It’s a heartwarming tale about creativity, problem-solving, and sharing with others.