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This Is NOT A Pumpkin by Bob Staake Simon & Schuster 2007 ISBN 10: 1416933530 ISBN 13: 978-416933533   Return To All Books     Behind The Pages With Bob: "I had always wanted to write a simple board book using a single illustration, and I was finally able to pull that off with 'This Is NOT A Pumpkin.' By keeping the text as sparse as possible, I hopes that when read the book children would find the whole story silly, ridiculous, annoying or just plain wrong. In the end that's precisely what happened and I continue to be amazed that even thought it was first published in 2007, this perplexing little board book continues to entertain little kids. What is particularly interesting is that 'This Is NOT A Pumpkin' seems to reasonate especially within the autistic and deaf communities. IS it a pumpkin or ISN'T it? Have your kids read the book and let them decide." -- Bob Staake   In the original version of the book Staake had wanted the pumpkin to turn suddenly tuen blue on the final page. He decided, however, that this would be too weird. The book is Staake'snot-so-subtle nod to Rene Magritte, particularly "Treachery Of Images" which features a simple painting of a pipe above the phrase "Ceci n'est pas une pipe" or "This is not a pipe." The eight clouds that appear on the cover are exactly the same -- and yet they were manipulated by Staake so that they somehow look different from one another. Summary: It may be round like a pumpkin and even orange like a pumpkin, but this is NOT a pumpkin! If it's not a pumpkin, then what is it? Preschoolers and toddlers will love knowing the answer and enjoy the fun, "unexpected" ending!   Sample image from book (above)   The New York Times: The cheerful visual joke in this handsome board book recalls Magritte's "this is not a pipe" painting (and the cover recalls his cool blue-sky backgrounds). But it will also prove irresistible to all Halloween-besotted children: what isn't a pumpkin but is round and orange, with gaping eyes and a gap-toothed grin? The slowly developing image gives few clues to its true identity, but a toddler would guess for sure.  ParentingPatch.com This Is Not a Pumpkin by Bob Staake is a fun little board book for young readers to read during the fall. The story and illustrations are both quite simple and thus perfect for toddlers and preschoolers. If you are looking for a fun book to read with your child this autumn or Halloween, I highly recommend This Is Not a Pumpkin. LookingGlassReview.com It is true that it round, it is big, and it has a stem at its top. However "it is NOT a pumpkin" no matter what you may think. It is orange, and in every respect it does indeed look like a pumpkin, but it still is not a pumpkin. And why is it not a pumpkin? The answer to this very important question is quite simple. It is not a pumpkin because it has a face. It has a smile. Or a frown. Pumpkins do not have either of these things.  In this wonderfully simple board book preschool children will be kept guessing right to end as to what is going on. When is a pumpkin not a pumpkin, they will ask themselves. With illustrations created in a very thought provoking surreal style, and with a clever ending that keeps the reader guessing right to the last minute, this is a board book which promises to have a lasting impression on readers of all ages. Amazon.com Customer Reviews: This is NOT a good review This is NOT a good review. No matter how you look at it, it is NOT a good review. Why? Because it's a fantastic review! (Couldn't resist a little play on the text of this terrific little board book!) I love reading this book to kids at our local Pumpkin Patch! I always get one kid that will argue with me the whole story! The rest of the kids just look confused. Love the surprise ending, and so do the kids! Two thumbs up! Daughters love this! My husband and I read this to our 2 and 1 year old almost every night. It is called "pumkin patch" in our house. We love Bob Staake and buy any book we can find that he has written or illustrated. Mary had a little lamp is also a big hit in our house. Fun and fascinating for very young children This purchase was made to replace a copy which is getting very worn. The simple story and thoughtfully designed and placed graphics have been a hit with all four of our grandchildren. We keep this on the kids' bookshelf year round, because Halloween's appeal never seems to wane. Adorable and Perfect for Grandkids. I purchased this for my granddaughters prior to Halloween. They love this book. I read it to them a dozen times.

Follow Bob: This Is NOT A Pumpkin Hardcover $28.00 USD Includes free shipping to continental U.S. ONLY. For international orders, please inquire.   Required: Please indicate in text field below to whom book should be signed - or simply state "sign only": h To purchase an unsigned retail copy of this book at a lesser price, please click any of the BUY links to the left.