The Great Pumpkin Contest

Camaraderie eclipses rivalry in this mellow autumn tale that introduces “two cats as different as could be.” Mimi spends her time indoors, reading and sometimes wishing she had a friend; Clara prefers being outside, tending her garden, and hosting tea parties with her pals. Yet when Cat County’s Great Pumpkin Contest rolls around, these neighbors share a common goal: to win a blue ribbon. Rozelaar conveys each feline’s personality through her gardening approach: after Mimi reads up on pumpkin growing and methodically plants seeds, her garden yields a gigantic specimen, while Clara cheerfully sprinkles seeds willy-nilly around her yard, growing a bountiful crop of “beautiful little pumpkins.” After an accident renders one pumpkin into mush, both characters emerge as equally winning in Rozelaar’s winsome mixed-media pictures, which sweetly portray the blossoming of a friendship. Ages 4–8. [em](July) [/em]