After all our running around and errands today we decided this autumn Saturday was too gorgeous to pass up, so we decided to go pumpkin hunting!
While at the local country store/pumpkin patch we found ourselves searching for the perfect jack-o-lantern with other families. One family included a doting mom and dad, a pair of giddy grandparents and a little 6-month-old baby. They were taking pictures (as we were) of their beloved pumpkin amid the patch of them, we offered to take a group shot of them and kindly they reciprocated. As we chatted afterwards I mentioned that they were fortunate that their little one was awake for the outing as last year when we took Emmerson she was completely passed out. We had to place her car seat amid the orange orbs just to get a quasi-first-pumpkin pic!
This year she was walking around, actively taking in everything; the pumpkins, the other people, the planes flying overhead from the nearby airport and a couple of dogs. What a difference a year makes, as she’s grown the scope of her adventures have as well. Now that’s she’s older she can take on so much more!
(Top: picture of Emmerson at 5 months and (Bottom) a picture of her today at 16 months –please do not reproduce these)
Just like my daughter, I enjoyed the more “grown-up” adventure of Sam the Dog Detective in One Terrible Halloween by Mary Labatt (ISBN -10: 155371399, Kids Can Press, 2002) from the wee pup of yesterday’s book and review.
Sam has grown quite a bit from the little candy-hungry pup into a fearless, adventure-loving dog detective with razor sharp wit and an insatiable appetite! In this book (and in this series) Sam solves mysteries (usually of her own creation) with the help of her next door neighbour, Jennie and Jennie’s best friend, Beth. Although Sam lives with Joan and Bob, she often hangs out with Jennie who can hear her thoughts. Beth cannot but is a believer and it’s their secret.
(Cover Image Copyright@2002 Troy-Hill Jackson)
In this Halloween mystery, Sam is bored but quickly had her interest piqued when it appears ghouls have moved into the Catherby’s place! Soon Sam convinces the girls, with the help of a scary Halloween story, that these leather-clad, pale-faced creatures are ghouls coming to take all the children in town. The growing fog doesn’t hurt her cause! As Sam continues to investigate these ghouls, they trio soon learn the not-so-ominous truth!
This is a fun Halloween read for ages 7 to 10, building up some of the excitement and spookiness of this time of year!
Not to beleaguer a point but this is the perfect type of book to get kids into the reading but encouraging them to get into the “spirit” of the season! Other titles in this series are: Spying on Dracula, The Ghost of Captain Briggs, Strange Neighbours and The Mummy Lives! If this timely read gets them interested in Sam’s capers then you’ve got an entire series to sustain their interest.
Finding what appeals to a child book-wise is like pumpkin picking, it’s an art form that needs to be nurtured early in life. When you find the right pumpkin, it creates a lifelong obsession with the yearly tradition. It can be the same way with reading if you pick the right book, this engaging read helps!
SM
In any Pumpkin Patch Emme is the best little pumpkin!