Description
Product Description
This simple story by author Stephen Wunderli and illustrator Tim Zeltner is more than a fun Halloween read―Little Boo is a heartwarming tale perfect for any child who can't wait to grow up. The leaves fall, the wind blows, and one little pumpkin seed tries and tries to be scary. But he doesn't scare anyone . . . not the snowflakes in winter, not the bees in spring, not even the watering can! The wind tells him to be patient―he'll be scary soon enough. But waiting is hard. Will the little seed ever be really, truly scary?
From School Library Journal
PreS-Gr 1—The life cycle of a pumpkin seed forms the plot of this story. Little Boo fails to scare various characters as he progresses from seed to flower, and he yearns for a day when its "boo" will terrify them. With encouragement from a friendly faced swirl of wind, Little Boo persists. Finally, as a smiling jack-o'-lantern, he puts its scare training to work and frightens all who pass by. Zeltner has layered paint and color to effectively convey changing seasons and shows a natural community that teems with anthropomorphic snowflakes, garden boots, and grasshoppers. This story resembles Margaret Wise Brown's The Fierce Yellow Pumpkin (HarperCollins, 2006); it is a shorter option that delivers the same idea but lacks the complexity and rhythm of that earlier work. Although not a priority purchase, Little Boo will make a good supplement to Halloween collections.—Nora Clancy, Teachers College Community School, New York City
Review
“Little Boo will make a good supplement to Halloween collections.” ―School Library Journal“Wunderli's new take on the life cycle of a seed works well as a metaphor for a young child's desire to grow . . . Remember to share this at harvest and Halloween time for a fresh and wonderfully tame autumn tale.” ―Kirkus Reviews“Wunderli's tender story offers a lyrical take on the holiday, entwined with an impatience to grow up that many young readers will easily identify with.” ―Publisher's Weekly
About the Author
STEPHEN WUNDERLI, author of
The Blue Between the Clouds, lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, with his wife and four children.
Tim Zeltner’s award-winning artwork is largely inspired by the landscape of the Delaware Valley, where he grew up. His illustrations feature a unique combination of layered paint, glazes, and stains on wood. His favorite holiday is Halloween, and he lives in Toronto with his wife, Jackie, and dog, Jessie.