Mrs. McMurphy’s Pumpkin (2004)
words by Rick Walton, illustrated by Delana Bettoli
As Halloween approaches, Mrs. McMurphy gets daily visits from a mysterious and spooky pumpkin showing up in her house. As the facial features of the pumpkin gradually appear, it promises to eat her once its teeth arrive. Mrs. McMurphy responds to each encounter gently, but firmly by putting the pumpkin in its place, so to speak.
I wasn’t sure how our 3-year old would react to this story, as it has the potential to be a bit scary. But I think that Mrs. McMurphy’s strong character and care-free reactions to the pumpkin keep this story approachable for little ones. I love that it IS a slightly spooky, “campfire” tale that (kid-depending) could be appropriate for a younger crowd.
Mrs. McMurphy’s Pumpkin (2004)
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