Little Boo

by Stephen Wunderli, Tim Zeltner (Illustrator)

Overview

This simple story by author Stephen Wunderli and illustrator Tim Zeltner is more than a fun Halloween read—Little Boo is a heartwarming tale perfect for any child who can't wait to grow up.

The leaves fall, the wind blows, and one little pumpkin seed tries and tries to be scary. But he doesn't scare anyone . . . not the snowflakes in winter, not the bees in spring, not even the watering can!

The wind tells him to be patient—he'll be scary soon enough. But waiting is hard. Will the little seed ever be really, truly scary?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781466874084
Publisher:	Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Publication date:	08/12/2014
Sold by:	Macmillan
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
File size:	24 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

About the Author

Stephen Wunderli and his wife, Jennifer, live in Holladay, Utah, with their six kids, six grandkids, pumpkins, and covey of backyard quail. Stephen is widely traveled and has worked in nonprofit communications and organizational training as part of his ongoing belief in helping others.

Tim Zeltner's award-winning artwork is largely inspired by the landscape of the Delaware Valley, where he grew up. His illustrations feature a unique combination of layered paint, glazes, and stains on wood. His favorite holiday is Halloween, and he lives in Toronto with his wife, Jackie, and dog, Jessie.

Editorial Reviews

07/28/2014
Throughout the year, a cherubic pumpkin seed with gentle eyes and rosy cheeks is eager to grow up and “be scary.” In winter, he tries to frighten a group of spritelike snowflakes with a “Boo!” only to have them respond, “There’s more of us than you.... Why would we be scared of you?” The wind encourages the seed to be patient, and after snoozing in the winter soil, waking to the sun, and growing into a rather unfrightening flower, the seed eventually becomes a pumpkin and is picked from the garden to become a scary jack-o’-lantern. Wunderli’s tender story offers a lyrical take on the holiday, entwined with an impatience to grow up that many young readers will easily identify with. Painted on plywood, Zeltner’s acrylics mix anthropomorphic cuteness with a seasonal moodiness that’s well suited to the story’s coming-of-age theme and year-round arc. Ages 3–7. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

Little Boo will make a good supplement to Halloween collections.” —School Library Journal

“Wunderli's new take on the life cycle of a seed works well as a metaphor for a young child's desire to grow . . . Remember to share this at harvest and Halloween time for a fresh and wonderfully tame autumn tale.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Wunderli's tender story offers a lyrical take on the holiday, entwined with an impatience to grow up that many young readers will easily identify with.” —Publisher's Weekly

From the Publisher

09/01/2016
PreS—A little seed tries to scare everyone he meets but is unsuccessful because of his size. A leaf, a grub, and snowflakes all rebuff his "boos." The wind encourages him to wait, and the seed falls asleep for the winter. When he awakes in the spring, he's a sprout and he tries out another "boo," but to no avail. He keeps growing, however, until he becomes a pumpkin. Eventually he turns into a jack-o'-lantern and is easily able to scare everyone. This board book version of the title originally released in 2014 has a muted palette and soft, painterly illustrations with pleasing repetition, and a plot that will resonate with young readers and those looking for a slightly spooky tale. VERDICT This selection will be enjoyed by those looking for a Halloween story.—Ramarie Beaver, Plano Public Library System, TX

School Library Journal

2014-07-16
From the moment of planting, a little seed wishes for the ability to be truly frightening. It is fall, and a small pumpkin seed smiles from the garden. As the season passes, it attempts to scare whatever comes near it with a "Boo." Try though the seed might, neither leaf, grub nor snowflake is impressed. But the wind is reassuring: "It's not time for scaring….Not yet. Be patient. You'll be scary soon enough." With those wise words, the wind then blows "soil over the seed to keep him from the cold." Spring arrives, and the seed awakens. Reaching for the sun, he is now a little sprout with attitude. Curly tendrils make him look a little fierce, but an old boot, shovel and watering can pay him no mind. The growth continues as he adds more leaves, blooms with orange flowers and produces small green fruit. Only when he has matured into a large pumpkin and transformed into a jack-o'-lantern does his "BOO!" get him his wished-for results. Wunderli's new take on the life cycle of a seed works well as a metaphor for a young child's desire to grow. Zeltner's lush illustrations created with paint, glazes and stains on wood shine with gentle charm and lend appealing texture to the various natural scenes. Remember to share this at harvest and Halloween time for a fresh and wonderfully tame autumn tale. (Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews