The Legend of Spookley the Square Pumpkin

By Joe Troiano and Susan Banta

One day in the pumpkin patch the strangest little pumpkin hatched . . . Spookley the Pumpkin was different. All the other pumpkins teased him, until Spookley proved that being different can save the day!

This perennial best-selling children’s book delivers a special message of tolerance and kindness that is just right for fall . . . and any time of year!

This fixed-layout ebook, which preserves the design and layout of the original print book, features read-along narration.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Oct 8, 2014
• ISBN: 9781504001915

Joe Troiano

Joe Troiano is the award-winning author of more than a dozen children's books, including The Legend of Spookley the Square Pumpkin, The Legend of Mistletoe and the Christmas Kittens, The Legend of Jellybean and the Unbreakable Egg, The Legend of Lyla the Lovesick Ladybug, The Legend of Beacon the Bright Little Firefly, and It's Your Cloud.

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Reviews for The Legend of Spookley the Square Pumpkin

[sara.rivera · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Summary: Spookley is the only square pumpkin in the entire pumpkin patch. He often wished he was round like the other pumpkins, then they would not make fun of him and he could roll around like the rest of them. Then, the day before Halloween, a storm blows in and starts blowing all the round pumpkins, some even fall through a hole in the fence into the bay! Spookley tries hard and flips himself to the corner to help save the round pumpkins from falling, too. Though Spookley gets bruised, he saves the pumpkins. The farmer appreciates Spookleys shape and abilities and uses his seeds to grow pumpkins in every shape and color.Personal Reaction: I thought this was a very fun fall book. It is important that students understand that is alright to be different from their classmates. Being different does not make anyone worse or better than anyone else. Classroom Extension Ideas:1) Students could practice cutting out shapes and then color them to look like pumpkins.2) Students could use manipulatives to show how different 3D shapes can be moved or stacked.

[afussell-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Spookley is a square pumpkin who is picked on by the other pumpkins. When Spookley saves the other pumpkins from going into the water, they realize being different is cool. The farmer plants seeds of all colors and shapes.

[sarahcoil · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book. It shows kids that it can be good to be different. Spookley was able to save the day because he was not the same as all of the other pumpkins. I would have students color a crazy picture of a pumpkin to match the ones in the story. I would also have students write about their favorite part of the book.

[tlesr · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Sppokley the pumpkin isn't shaped like other pumpkins - he's square.

[imagrtdnlvr · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a story about a pumpkin named Spookley, that was not shaped like the other pumpkins in the patch. The other pumpkins made fun of him for being different until he saved them. After he became the hero of the pumpkin patch the farmer decided to grow a whole patch just like Spookley. The new patch of different shaped pumpkins were a hit with the buyers.This was a gift from my sister for my oldest son when he was younger. This came in handy because my son was starting a new school and wasn't sure if everyone would like him. After reading this to him, he felt better about himself and realized that it was okay to be different. Also, he learned that it was not nice to make fun of other people.I would use as an extension during the month of October for a fall theme and Halloween theme. The cd that came with the book tells the story in kind of a spooky voice and the two songs are Halloween themed, like the Transylvania Twist. I would also use this to teach shapes and have the children do pumpkin art.

[awidmer06 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Genre: FantasyAge Appropriateness: Primary-IntermediateReview: This is a good example of fantasy because there are personified pumpkins in the story. Spookley the pumpkin is different from the other pumpkins because he is square-shaped. All the other pumpkins teased him, but he ends up saving the day by blocking the hole in the fence so the other pumpkins would not fall out. In the end, the farmer shows his appreciation and awe by planting more pumpkin seeds that would produce square, rectangle, triangular, and colored pumpkins. Media: This book is a good example of pen and pencil media because the figures and objects are outlined in black ink and filled in with color pencils. The color pencils give more dimension and texture to the picture. In addition, the color also allows for different shading and line variance.

[bekstrom_2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is a good example of a fantasy book. It gives pumkins human characteristics. It does not decieve, but it tells the truths that children cannot understand unless in an imaginary story. The theme of this book is being different can be a good thing. This is a very important lesson for students to learn, and this is a good way for them to learn it. It is very applicable to their lives. I would use this book for primary students. The type of media used is mixed media, some water colors, some pen, and some acrylic.

[Wayne Ho · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is great because it tells you that you shouldn't have other people by their look.

[Be'eri · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love this book as it is perfect for those who want a fall story that teaches a life lesson