HATTIE & DIRK'S GREAT GARDEN SURPRISE

A tween girl undercuts a greedy pumpkin seller in this children’s book.

Growing up in the 1960s and ’70s on her family’s farm in Cottonwood, Illinois, 12-year-old Hattie Mae Bramble got a pretty good idea of what vegetables should cost. So when Mr. Pinchly’s garden shop charges up to $5 for Halloween pumpkins, she knows that’s way too much, especially for kids from financially struggling families. That year, Hattie and her 10-year-old tag-along brother, Dirk, get some pumpkins from their own patch, and the Bramble family hosts an outdoor jack-o’-lantern carving station for Hattie’s 4-H club—which becomes even more fun when it transforms into a pumpkin-gut fight. In February, Hattie’s winter 4-H project involves caring for piglets, which gives her a bright idea: “If I could raise pigs, why not raise pumpkins?” Usually, Hattie dislikes gardening, but she relishes the thought of affordable Halloween pumpkins for all. So, alongside their usual chores, Hattie and Dirk plant, weed, and tend their pumpkin patch, ignoring Mr. Pinchly’s scorn for their efforts. However, in July, Hattie’s piglets escape and trample the patch, leading to a poor harvest and few sales—but in the nick of time, a farmyard surprise turns things around, confounding Mr. Pinchly. In her second Hattie Mae chapter book for young readers, Wargel presents a prospect that will please young readers: achieving victory over a selfish adult while also helping less fortunate kids. Although Hattie’s projects don’t go perfectly, she learns that setbacks are an inherent part of life—an invaluable lesson for her and for readers. She is, as her father explains, experiencing the reality of farming, where piglets can die, crops can fail, and it takes faith to keep going. The story also effectively demonstrates that success is a group effort, showing how the whole family, including Hattie’s usually unkind older brother, pitches in to corral the escaped pigs.

An old-fashioned and cozy tale that also provides a relatable example of resilience and perseverance.