September Pick for the Older Sibling: Ready for Pumpkins

As a mythology fan, I enjoyed the lead character's name in this picture book: Hercules! Herky for short. Hercules is a guinea pig in a first grade classroom. When he sees the children plant seeds and watch them grow into plants, he longs to do the same.

During summer vacation, he does just that with the help of his friend, rabbit. They prepare the soil, plant the seeds, watch and wait and wait and wait (a good lesson in patience). Even though the pumpkins aren't ready, Herky must return to school in the fall.

When October rolls around, the teacher's dad comes in with one of the pumpkins's Herky grew!

A feel-good story about pumpkin-growing, friendship, and patience rewarded.

Starred Review, Publishers Weekly

Ready for Pumpkins
Author-illustrator: Kate Duke
Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2012