THE MYSTERY OF THE FLYING ORANGE PUMPKIN

by Steven Kellogg ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 22, 1980

How the Patterson Pumpkin Club foils mean Mr. Klug, who buys and moves into Mr. Bramble's house at the end of summer. The problem is that Mr. Bramble had allowed three neighbor children to plant their pumpkin seeds in his garden. They've been looking forward to carving Patterson (their pumpkin's name) for a Halloween jack-o'-lantern, but Mr. Klug insists that he will have a pumpkin pie instead, and he rejects Joan's suggestion that ""We could have both."" But with the help of neighbor Mrs. Wilkins, the fifth club member (after Mr. Bramble), the kids snitch the pumpkin and release an orange balloon on the site to confound Mr. Klug. (""I can't call the police to report a flying orange pumpkin, thought Mr. Klug. They'd tell me I'm crazy!"") The gang then returns the disputed pumpkin in the form of a fresh-baked pie and a jack-o'-lantern for Mr. Klug's front porch, and they throw in a Halloween costume for the new neighbor. The story is nothing but a good joke on Mr. Klug, but Kellogg's pictures pull you into the conspiracy. And he saves a good stroke for the end, when Mr. Klug scowls out from his devil suit to the general merriment of the pranksters.

Pub Date: Sept. 22, 1980

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Dial

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1980

Categories: CHILDREN'S