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Patty's pumpkin patch
Patty's pumpkin patch is a surprisingly busy place all year long. There's plowing and planting in the spring, weeding (and lots of growing!) in the summer, and much more than just picking pumpkins in the fall. For within the patch, creepy-crawly, furry, and feathered friends from A to Z are always on the move, keeping Patty company and watching her work.
The perfect lead-in or follow-up to a visit to a pumpkin patch, Teri Sloat's bouncy verse and vibrant, detailed artwork make this an outing kids can enjoy any time of the year
The perfect lead-in or follow-up to a visit to a pumpkin patch, Teri Sloat's bouncy verse and vibrant, detailed artwork make this an outing kids can enjoy any time of the year
30 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
1 person is currently reading
53 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
October 6, 2017
We watch Patty through the year as she plants and harvests her pumpkin crop. Though published in 1999, the author's paintings have a delightfully old-fashioned feel. She employs a wonderful 2-in-1 technique - the top 3/4 of each page features the main painting and a rhyme; the bottom 1/4 is a letter of the alphabet, and an accompanying creature - beetle, snail, toad - to look for in the upper painting.
Both beautiful and clever - I loved this one!
Both beautiful and clever - I loved this one!
September 8, 2017
Ok so yes I know that TECHNICALLY it is not fall yet. But let's face it once you start seeing pumpkin spice flavored things on the shelves it is Autumn. So how could I not curl up with a cup of pumpkin spice chai tea and read this wonderful pumpkin themed book?
This rhyming book is all about a pumpkin patch. From the beginning of planting seeds to the end of the pumpkin picking season this book covers the seasonal lifespan of a pumpkin patch.
I really enjoyed this one. Not only was it a great rhyming book it also was an alphabet book. At the bottom of each page going from a-z were words related to animals/insects/plant-life you find in the pumpkin patch.
This is suitable for toddlers and kindergarteners. I don't know that children much older than 5 or 6 would want to read this but for the younger set it is perfect. The illustrations are great and with the alphabet running along the bottom you can make a great activity out of having the child point out where that animal is in the picture. This is perfect for the fall/Halloween season. Now I want to munch on some pumpkin seeds.
4 out of 5 stars.
October 22, 2022
I was pleasantly surprised by this one. My 4-year old chose it and we enjoyed reading it multiple times. Besides the story, which my son was not particularly interested in, there is an A to Z assortment of insects and birds and other critters that visit Patty's Pumpkin Patch throughout the year. He loved that part of the book.
October 31, 2019
This is a unique take on an alphabet book. The letters of the alphabet aren't worked into the written narrative as much as they are extra parts of the story embedded in the images. This book was a good one for storytime as there were a lot of opportunities for dialogic reading, and had I read this with my older preschoolers, who have a keen attention to the illustrations, they would have had a great time spotting all the extra pictures.
October 19, 2017
I don't love this one for storytime. The lines do rhyme (in couplets) so that's a plus, but the A-Z stuff is totally removed from the "story" part of the book and also uses a lot of weird words that won't really make sense to young kids. Additionally, it's a lot of bugs and strange animals so that could gross kids out. Things like V = vixen (as in fox). It's a bit of a stretch.
September 17, 2018
Story in rhyme shows farmers going through each step to grow pumpkins. It is also an alphabet book. There is a letter and an object at the bottom of each page, separate from the story. Some of the objects chosen for a letter are very unusual, such as Junco, Nuthatch, and Vixen.
November 15, 2020
So cute and well illustrated that I used it for a painting lesson with my grandchildren
October 25, 2022
A very nicely illustrated A to Z book detailing a pumpkin patch throughout the year, particularly at fall time. A great book to read in October or near Halloween.
December 14, 2023
Neat story. Very simple.
March 3, 2025
#2025
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October 13, 2015Title: Patty's Pumpkin Patch
Author: Terry Sloat
Genre: ABC Book
Theme(s): Seasons, farm, animals, plants
Opening line/sentence: Come look inside my patch and see A world of life from A to Z
Brief Book Summary: Winter is over so it is time to start planting pumpkins! Throughout the year, we join Patty in her pumpkin patch and see all of the animals that frolic about throughout the Spring, Summer, and Autumn seasons.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1:
Shelley Townsend-Hudson (The Booklist)
Children entering Patty's pumpkin patch will not only find a continuous story, told in the main text and illustrations, but also an introduction to the alphabet, presented in smaller illustrations along the bottom of each page. In early spring, Patty hoes among the ants and beetles. When she plants and waters the seeds, crows and dragonflies swoop above. When the plants take root, the earthworms and flies busy themselves. Soon the vines spread and the blossoms pop out, providing shelter for grasshoppers and nectar for hummingbirds. In summer, when the pumpkins form, inchworms, juncos, kittens, and ladybugs come out. And in the fall, the pumpkin stand is readied, and the moths and owls, and other creatures arrive. Sloat's lively rhymes will attract even some of the most squirmy kids at story hour, and lots of children will enjoy watching to see what animal turns up next in the pictures. The highlighted letters, upper and lower case, and the representative words (ant, zebra butterfly, xylem) appear in boxes, and there's enough visual detail in the main illustrations to ensure repeated visits by children curious about critters and how things grow.
Professional Recommendation/Review #2:
Kathy Piehl (School Library Journal)
Come look inside my patch and see/A world of life from A to Z." Sloat's rhymed text follows Patty from seedtime through harvest as she grows and sells pumpkins on her farm. The larger illustrations at the top of each page introduce readers to the work and care required to produce a crop. A bird, insect, or other animal that lives in or around the patch is featured at the bottom of each page, in alphabetical order, along with the upper and lowercase letter it represents. Older children will enjoy locating the creatures in the larger pictures above. This book will be a definite hit with those who have the opportunity to select their own Halloween pumpkins, but even children who have never set foot on such a farm can share the experience through the vivid illustrations done in acrylic and oil pastel. Zoe Hall's It's Pumpkin Time! (Scholastic, 1994) also effectively portrays the raising of pumpkins for the preschool set, but Sloat's work will be enjoyed by older viewers as well as their young siblings.
Response to Two Professional Reviews: Both of the professional reviews I picked talk about the excitement of following the book through the seasons. They also talk about the added element of two stories going on at once. The pictures captured both of their interests as well, for they both claimed that children would want to go back to the story because of them.
Evaluation of Literary Elements: The fact that this ABC book is also a story book is very useful, because as Piehl said, the added element of a story can make it more appealing to an older audience. The distinct letters on each page make it simple for younger children to learn their letters, and animals that begin with those letters. Children of all ages can enjoy the pictures, thanks to the scenic illustrations that any kid (at least in Pennsylvania in the Fall)can relate to.
Consideration of Instructional Application:
This is a great book for the fall! Teachers can bring in pumpkins or prep their students for a trip to the pumpkin patch. If that is too much, teachers can take their class on a nature walk, as they take down all of the wildlife that they see.
Author: Terry Sloat
Genre: ABC Book
Theme(s): Seasons, farm, animals, plants
Opening line/sentence: Come look inside my patch and see A world of life from A to Z
Brief Book Summary: Winter is over so it is time to start planting pumpkins! Throughout the year, we join Patty in her pumpkin patch and see all of the animals that frolic about throughout the Spring, Summer, and Autumn seasons.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1:
Shelley Townsend-Hudson (The Booklist)
Children entering Patty's pumpkin patch will not only find a continuous story, told in the main text and illustrations, but also an introduction to the alphabet, presented in smaller illustrations along the bottom of each page. In early spring, Patty hoes among the ants and beetles. When she plants and waters the seeds, crows and dragonflies swoop above. When the plants take root, the earthworms and flies busy themselves. Soon the vines spread and the blossoms pop out, providing shelter for grasshoppers and nectar for hummingbirds. In summer, when the pumpkins form, inchworms, juncos, kittens, and ladybugs come out. And in the fall, the pumpkin stand is readied, and the moths and owls, and other creatures arrive. Sloat's lively rhymes will attract even some of the most squirmy kids at story hour, and lots of children will enjoy watching to see what animal turns up next in the pictures. The highlighted letters, upper and lower case, and the representative words (ant, zebra butterfly, xylem) appear in boxes, and there's enough visual detail in the main illustrations to ensure repeated visits by children curious about critters and how things grow.
Professional Recommendation/Review #2:
Kathy Piehl (School Library Journal)
Come look inside my patch and see/A world of life from A to Z." Sloat's rhymed text follows Patty from seedtime through harvest as she grows and sells pumpkins on her farm. The larger illustrations at the top of each page introduce readers to the work and care required to produce a crop. A bird, insect, or other animal that lives in or around the patch is featured at the bottom of each page, in alphabetical order, along with the upper and lowercase letter it represents. Older children will enjoy locating the creatures in the larger pictures above. This book will be a definite hit with those who have the opportunity to select their own Halloween pumpkins, but even children who have never set foot on such a farm can share the experience through the vivid illustrations done in acrylic and oil pastel. Zoe Hall's It's Pumpkin Time! (Scholastic, 1994) also effectively portrays the raising of pumpkins for the preschool set, but Sloat's work will be enjoyed by older viewers as well as their young siblings.
Response to Two Professional Reviews: Both of the professional reviews I picked talk about the excitement of following the book through the seasons. They also talk about the added element of two stories going on at once. The pictures captured both of their interests as well, for they both claimed that children would want to go back to the story because of them.
Evaluation of Literary Elements: The fact that this ABC book is also a story book is very useful, because as Piehl said, the added element of a story can make it more appealing to an older audience. The distinct letters on each page make it simple for younger children to learn their letters, and animals that begin with those letters. Children of all ages can enjoy the pictures, thanks to the scenic illustrations that any kid (at least in Pennsylvania in the Fall)can relate to.
Consideration of Instructional Application:
This is a great book for the fall! Teachers can bring in pumpkins or prep their students for a trip to the pumpkin patch. If that is too much, teachers can take their class on a nature walk, as they take down all of the wildlife that they see.
November 24, 2009
Largely forgettable but still a pleasant and useful read to follow the cycle of a pumpkin from seed to fruit. Obvious appeal for Halloween-time with harvesting and carving pumpkins. The alphabet aspect of this book is a bit different as the letters don't follow the text but rather the illustrations--for example, in an illustration with a kitten playing in a pumpkin patch, the text may be discussing the pumpkin growing bigger, but in a border below the main illustration is a smaller one with "K is for Kitten"
September 1, 2010
This is a good A-Z book to read to very young ones to help them with the alphabet. Fall is my favorite season so I enjoyed reading it to Holly for that reason. I really like that the object featured on each page is shown at the bottom next to the letter, and it is also in the larger drawing above. Kids can search for something on each page which definitely helps them make the connection between a word and its meaning. Holly listened at 5 months but it's not simple enough to be one she would really enjoy now.
March 14, 2012
This book is about the process of tending a pumpkin patch. It discusses plowing and planting in the spring as well as harvest time in the fall. This is a good book to incorporate in a Kindergarten class when discussing how plants grow. It is probably best to read around Halloween or Fall. It also ties in the Alphabet. At the bottom of every page, the author lists a bug that is found in a pumpkin patch. For instance "B" is for beetle. Therefore, the book is also a good learning tool for students to learn different species of animals found in a pumpkin patch.
November 12, 2014
The style of the illustrations in this book really appealed to me. I loved looking at the pictures! The only reason I rated it four stars instead of five was because of the words that it used to relate to the alphabet. The purpose of this book seemed like it should have been to teach the alphabet in a way that related to the pumpkin patch in the story. However, for some letters, there were names of birds and other things that seemed altogether unrelated to the story, so I was somewhat confused by it. But, other than this small detail, it's a great read! Great for young children.
October 24, 2008
pumpkins, fall, halloween, alphabet, rhymes
March 21, 2012
In rhyming text this book describes one woman's planting and upkeep of her pumpkin patch. Readers follow along as she weeds and cares for her patch until it is time to harvest and sell the pumpkins.
October 20, 2012
Rhyming text..very bright wonderfulillustrations
November 3, 2012
Fun story and beautiful pictures.
September 5, 2013
One of my FAVORITE books about the Fall. Beautiful illustrations. The rhyming storyline is perfect for preschool age to Kindergarten, although my boyz STILL love this book (and they are 6 and 11).
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September 27, 2013Patty's pumpkin patch is busy all year from plowing to planting to weeding to picking. This book shows in alphabetical fashion the creepy-crawly and feathered friends that live there.
November 5, 2014
Really appreciate the lower case letters for alphabet recognition, but I wish words were all phonetic instead of "pheasant" for "p" etc.
November 11, 2014
This is a good book for young students to learn their alphabet letters and words to go with the letters.
November 12, 2014
The growing season. Cute book with great pictures.
August 8, 2016
Nice combination of an ABC book and story of a pumpkin patch throughout the seasons.
July 13, 2018
I like that there is both the full story of a pumpkin patch (planting, growing, harvesting, selling, prepping for next year) and an alphabet. And the alphabet doesn’t consist of the usual words: X stands for Xylem! The illustrations and warm and fun, and the rhyming makes it move along smoothly.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews