Carving Pumpkins

October 1, 2012
Grades 3-6 Beginning with a description of pumpkin varieties, Rau goes on to explain jack-o'-lantern legends, carving tools, and detailed instructions for carving the perfect Halloween pumpkin, as well as three related crafts. Directions are specific and useful (see: creating a design on paper and transferring it to the pumpkin using pins or nails), while leaving room for individual creativity. Each double-page spread constitutes its own chapter filled with succinct text, captioned photos or illustrations, and instructive sidebars, many pertaining to safety. Particularly appealing are the spreads explaining the construction of a spaceship with aliens (from a large orange pumpkin and smaller white ones) and the creation of a haunted house display. This entry in the How-to Library series is a good choice for libraries looking to update their Halloween collections.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)