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Me and the Pumpkin Queen

Mildred is a very focused eleven-year-old. Very focused on giant pumpkins. She’s growing the giants in memory of her mother, who never got a chance to enter the Circleville, Ohio, Pumpkin Show weigh-off herself. After four disastrous growing seasons, Mildred is hoping to finally have a flawless pumpkin to enter in the contest. As long as busybody Aunt Arlene doesn’t interfere too much…and Daddy doesn’t need too much help at his veterinary practice…and her best friend Jacob can pitch in with some last-minute help…and the dogs don’t trample the seedlings…and the weather cooperates.

Readers will be rooting for Mildred and her Atlantic Giant pumpkin, too!

Reviews

“This marvelously heartwarming story deserves a big blue ribbon!”
— BookPage

“…fleshed out with characters the reader will both understand and fall in love with. Mildred is a very appealing, very real eleven year old…This is a refreshing and uplifting story that will have wide appeal for middle grade readers.”
— Children’s Literature

“The author combines the art and science of horticulture with a gentle family story, a feel for a child in mourning, and just the right amount of humor and tension…”
— School Library Journal

Honors

• Junior Library Guild Selection
• BookPage Notable Book
• Book Sense Pick
• Master list 2009 Kentucky Bluegrass Book Award
• Master list 2010 Oklahoma Children’s Sequoyah Book Award
• Master list 2010 Florida Sunshine State Young Reader Award
• Master list 2010 South Carolina Children’s Book Award
• Master list 2011 Utah Beehive Book Award