The Biggest Pumpkin Ever

Clayton the village mouse and Desmond the field mouse both fall in love with the same pumpkin, Clayton visiting it during the day to care for it, and Desmond at night. With their faithful ministrations, the pumpkin soon begins to grow to an enormous size, with both mice making their plans: one wants to win the town pumpkin contest, while the other dreams of creating the most magnificent jack-o-lantern ever. When the two eventually meet, they decide to work together to fulfill both of their ambitions...

The first of a number of seasonal picture books from author/illustrator team Steven Kroll and Jeni Bassett to feature the mice of Mouseville, The Biggest Pumpkin Ever pairs an engaging story of hard work and dreaming big with cute show more illustrations. I liked the fact that Clayton and Desmond discovering one another led, not to conflict, but to the two working together. That said, I did think it a little odd that Desmond followed the course of action he did, given that the narrative tells us that the pumpkin was in Clayton's garden. Surely it isn't reasonable for him to expect that it would be his, to make into a jack-o-lantern, when it always belonged to someone else? Leaving that aside, this was a sweet, gentle little tale for the Halloween season, and I would recommend it to picture book readers seeking such fare. show less

The Biggest Pumpkin Ever was one of my favorite books when I was a kid. I used to read it every night before Halloween. The reason why I liked it so much as a kid were the illustrations and I still really enjoy them. The illustrations really helped me visualize the story, not just read it. I also really enjoyed the plot. There was a sort of suspense feel because you weren't sure if the two mice were ever going to run into each other while watering the pumpkin. Most of all, I really enjoyed the characters. While reading this story, I could feel how much those two mice really liked this pumpkin and that made the story very realistic. I think the main message the author was trying to convey from this story is sharing. The two mice, even show more after finding out that they have both been caring for the pumpkin, found a way to make both of their dreams come true. show less

In my opinion this was a fun and enjoyable book to read especially now since it's fall and Halloween time. I liked the two main mice in this story, Clayton and Desmond. I thought it was funny that throughout the first half of the book, neither of them knew that each was doing the exact same thing to keep the pumpkin growing. Once they both meet each other, I liked that they both worked together to take care of the pumpkin and that they're able to compromise what they want to do with the pumpkin once it's finished growing. The illustrations were almost identical for the things Clayton and Desmond were doing for the pumpkin except that one was happening during the day time, the other at night. I think that the author's whole message show more behind this book was that aside from pumpkins and Halloween, it would be friendship and compromise. Even though Clayton wanted to enter the pumpkin at the town contest, Desmond still helped him out the entire time. Both mice were happy at the end to see how their pumpkin turned out. show less

Once there were two mice who fell in love with the same pumpkin....Desmond the field mouse wants to carve the biggest jack-o'-lantern in the neighborhood with his pumpkin. Clayton the house mouse wants to win the Biggest Pumpkin contest with his. But when they discover that their choice pumpkins are actually the same one, Desmond and Clayton decide to work together to grow the biggest pumpkin ever!

This one definitely has kid appeal. I found it slightly tedious to read myself, but the little guy was really liking it. It made me think on one hand of [a:Richard Scarry|13901|Richard Scarry|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1188187401p2/13901.jpg] on the other of [a:Kevin Henkes'|193|Kevin Henkes|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1257746190p2/193.jpg] mouse stories, there was this candid sort of friendship going on between the two mice. A pretty harmless little story, maybe even pleasurable. And, what do you know ... looks like it's a classic!

This wonderful Halloween book is a joy to read to young children. Steven Kroll and Jeni Bassett keep children wondering what's going to happen, while slipping them clues about growing pumpkins. The universal theme of learning to share and compromise is masterfully woven into the ending of the story.
Classroom Use: Do your own growing experment by planting two pumpkins in a box window and care for one just as Clayton and Desmond did and leave the other one like normal.

In this title, there are two mice - Clayton the village mouse and Desmond the field mouse - who both set their sites on the same pumpkin in Clayton's garden. Unbeknownst to the other, they both water, fertilize, and care for the pumpkin. Because they're both doing such a good job of caring for the pumpkin, it grows to be extra large and special. When Desmond and Clayton discover each other, they decide to share the pumpkin in a unique way.

The cartoony illustrations are fairly charming; Desmond is espcially cute because he's a chubby little mouse. This would be a good storytime title if you're looking to de-emphasize the "Halloween"-iness and play up the fall/harvest aspects of the story -though Halloween is still mentioned.

Cute, but not show more earth-shattering by any means. show less