Title: The Tale of the Pumpkin Seed Squad
Author: Carolyn Mitchell
Publisher: Westwood Books Publishing LLC
ISBN: 1643610627
Pages: 40
Genre: Illustrated Children’s Book
Reviewed by: Megan Russell
Pacific Book Review
The Tale of The Pumpkin Seed Squad is a delightful story of critters looking to get in on some festive football fun. While the illustrations were reminiscent back to a time of cartoon media, the writing kept the story fresh and new. The combination of the beautiful art and the quick writing made The Tale of The Pumpkin Seed Squad a fun and enjoyable read.
This book is intended for children. With the rhyme scheme and illustrations, I’d feel comfortable recommending this book for children up to the age of 8 or 9. Not only were the illustrations lush and detailed, they denoted real action that made the charming plot really come to life on the page. The use of autumnal colors created a cozy atmosphere for the reader and enabled me to fully dive into the world of the text without hesitation. The rhyming of the story never felt heavy or forced; a trap a lot of children’s books fall into. I ended up loving the writing as the author clearly showed a real talent for pairing words together in a way which was unexpected and authentic.
The ending of the book was endearing and perfect for the story that was told. I think continuing the Riley Chester-field Mouse narrative through other books is a great idea! He’s a really interesting and fun character. His squad members are also equally charming in their own rights. Fully fleshed out characters in a children’s book is something to be celebrated and the author certainly succeeded here. However, I would recommend that the designer experiment a little more with font and spacing. The illustrations and story were both so rich that the words themselves deserve a little more attention.
Overall, I would recommend this book to the young readers in my life. I’m also interested to see if Riley’s narratives will continue through the seasons. It wouldn’t be a surprise to me if children grew attached to the little guy and his adventures. I’m itching for another story myself already! With a dynamic plot, pleasurable writing, and beautiful illustrations, I see no reason to not give the highest praise to The Tale of the Pumpkin Seed Squad.
