Ready for Pumpkins

K-Gr 2—Hercules is a guinea pig in a first-grade classroom. When the kids make jack-o-lanterns at Halloween, Herky saves some of the seeds. During the summer he is taken to a farm owned by the teacher's dad. There he befriends the resident rabbit and together they plant the seeds. Then the wait begins. The guinea pig is impatient , while Daisy tells him to "Cool it." To pass the time they tell stories, sing songs, and make up poems. Finally the stalks start growing and make a lush garden. Herky is quite dismayed when birds and bugs arrive and start nibbling on the flowers but again Daisy is the voice of reason. There is enough for everyone. With the coming of  fall, Herky is taken back to the classroom. He misses his friend and the pumpkin patch. The farmer shows up in the classroom with a basket of pumpkins, saying he has no idea how they got planted. The students and the guinea pig start the cycle all over again, carving jack-o'-lanterns and saving seeds. The pen-and-ink and watercolor pictures are perfect for the story. Herky  is expressively drawn and adorable. This title will join the list of pumpkin classics so popular every fall.