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The Runaway Pumpkin
Kevin Lewis, author of the bestselling Chugga-Chugga Choo-Choo, pairs up with award-winning illustrator S. D. Schindler to create the perfect picture book about a pumpkin on the run.
When Buck, Billy, and their little sister Lil spy the biggest pumpkin they've ever seen, they can't resist. Buck and Billy try to roll the pumpkin down the hill to show everyone, but it's too big! Before they know it, it's bumping and thumping and rolling out of control down the hillside. It busts through Momma Baxter's sty and makes her think of pumpkin pie. It knocks over Grandpa Baxter and makes him think of pumpkin soup. And when Poppa Baxter finally stops it in a pumpkin bed, all he can think of is pumpkin bread.
When Buck, Billy, and their little sister Lil spy the biggest pumpkin they've ever seen, they can't resist. Buck and Billy try to roll the pumpkin down the hill to show everyone, but it's too big! Before they know it, it's bumping and thumping and rolling out of control down the hillside. It busts through Momma Baxter's sty and makes her think of pumpkin pie. It knocks over Grandpa Baxter and makes him think of pumpkin soup. And when Poppa Baxter finally stops it in a pumpkin bed, all he can think of is pumpkin bread.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2003
6 people are currently reading
445 people want to read
About the author
Kevin Lewis
115 books27 followersKevin Lewis is the author of many children’s picture books for toddler and early elementary grades including the classics Chugga-Chugga Choo-Choo and My Truck is Stuck (both illustrated by Daniel Kirk), Halloween favorite The Runaway Pumpkin, Lot at the End of My Block, Dinosaur Dinosaur, Tugga-Tugga Tugboat, and Not Inside This House.
Kevin grew up on his grandparents’ farm in Rembert, South Carolina. Around the third grade, he fell in love with books, and by middle school, Kevin was a bit of a reading recluse. Books carried him through high school and Erskine College, where he studied English. A children’s literature course he thought would be an easy three credits ignited his passion for children’s books, a passion that led him to New York City and his first publishing-related job at the legendary bookstore, Books of Wonder.
For over two decades, Kevin has been one of the most highly regarded children’s book editors in the industry. At Scholastic Inc., he worked with Dav Pilkey on the original Captain Underpants. At Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, where he served as an Editorial Director, Kevin worked with a veritable who’s who of authors and illustrators including Laurie Halse Anderson (Fever 1793, Chains), Spike and Tonya Lee (Please Baby Please), Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black (The Spiderwick Chronicles), Derek Anderson and Lauren Thompson (Little Quack), Alex Sanchez (Rainbow Boys), Jim Benton (Franny K. Stein) Angela Johnson, Kadir Nelson, Cynthia Rylant, and Loren Long. As an Executive Editor at Disney Press, Kevin developed and produced the Vampirina Ballerina series and edited books by Matthew Cordell, Barney Saltzberg, and Chris Barton.
In 2018, Kevin became an agent for the Erin Murphy Literary Agency, primarily focusing on writer-illustrators and diverse voices.
These days, Kevin lives in Newburgh, New York in a two hundred year old farmhouse with his husband, Phil and dog named Kat. Most of the time, you’ll find him gardening in the yard, biking around the Hudson Valley, or sitting on the back porch (which often doubles as his office).
Kevin grew up on his grandparents’ farm in Rembert, South Carolina. Around the third grade, he fell in love with books, and by middle school, Kevin was a bit of a reading recluse. Books carried him through high school and Erskine College, where he studied English. A children’s literature course he thought would be an easy three credits ignited his passion for children’s books, a passion that led him to New York City and his first publishing-related job at the legendary bookstore, Books of Wonder.
For over two decades, Kevin has been one of the most highly regarded children’s book editors in the industry. At Scholastic Inc., he worked with Dav Pilkey on the original Captain Underpants. At Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, where he served as an Editorial Director, Kevin worked with a veritable who’s who of authors and illustrators including Laurie Halse Anderson (Fever 1793, Chains), Spike and Tonya Lee (Please Baby Please), Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black (The Spiderwick Chronicles), Derek Anderson and Lauren Thompson (Little Quack), Alex Sanchez (Rainbow Boys), Jim Benton (Franny K. Stein) Angela Johnson, Kadir Nelson, Cynthia Rylant, and Loren Long. As an Executive Editor at Disney Press, Kevin developed and produced the Vampirina Ballerina series and edited books by Matthew Cordell, Barney Saltzberg, and Chris Barton.
In 2018, Kevin became an agent for the Erin Murphy Literary Agency, primarily focusing on writer-illustrators and diverse voices.
These days, Kevin lives in Newburgh, New York in a two hundred year old farmhouse with his husband, Phil and dog named Kat. Most of the time, you’ll find him gardening in the yard, biking around the Hudson Valley, or sitting on the back porch (which often doubles as his office).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 128 reviews
September 27, 2018
I love the rhyme scheme here. It reminds me of opening Train scene from the Music Man. It's about a rhythm that drives and rattles forward pushing the story faster down the hill. Thumpety, bumpety, down the hill it goes.
Look at the cover of this book. I love the eyes of the characters as they run from this big pumpkin. In one scene it has rolled over a chicken and the kids got a good laugh at that. The art work is the best with this. It's a simple story. 3 kids dressed for Halloween go up a hill and find a house sized pumpkin. They think they can walk it down the hill and it runs wild.
I love the ending when they are all having dinner at grandma's house all dressed up in costume. Why can't families have dinner dressed up. It's the best. Grandpa was dressed up like a fly which was my favorite while grandma donned the queens garb. It's one of my favorite scenes in the book.
It's a cute beginning story. The kids both loved the book with all the zany things going on. They both gave the book 5 stars. huzzah. This was fun.
Look at the cover of this book. I love the eyes of the characters as they run from this big pumpkin. In one scene it has rolled over a chicken and the kids got a good laugh at that. The art work is the best with this. It's a simple story. 3 kids dressed for Halloween go up a hill and find a house sized pumpkin. They think they can walk it down the hill and it runs wild.
I love the ending when they are all having dinner at grandma's house all dressed up in costume. Why can't families have dinner dressed up. It's the best. Grandpa was dressed up like a fly which was my favorite while grandma donned the queens garb. It's one of my favorite scenes in the book.
It's a cute beginning story. The kids both loved the book with all the zany things going on. They both gave the book 5 stars. huzzah. This was fun.
November 19, 2023
This book is for anyone who's attention span doesn't last more than 5 minutes.
A boy cuts of pumpkin from it's fine, and the pumpkin rolls away. It rose past house after house, And each occupant of the house decides what they would do with the pumpkin if it were in their hands
My husband said that he would take a photo of it and laugh. I can't decide what I would do with it, but I probably let it go because working with pumpkins is a lot of work.
A boy cuts of pumpkin from it's fine, and the pumpkin rolls away. It rose past house after house, And each occupant of the house decides what they would do with the pumpkin if it were in their hands
My husband said that he would take a photo of it and laugh. I can't decide what I would do with it, but I probably let it go because working with pumpkins is a lot of work.
October 30, 2018
The title is pretty much the plot, as a huge pumpkin causes mayhem and destruction rolling down a hill. Fear not - there's a happy ending for all . . . except maybe the pumpkin. Cute rhyming story, and wonderful pictures by S.D. Schindler.
September 28, 2018
The Baxter family boys spot a huge pumpkin up on the hill above their farm. They get the bright idea to cut it down. Everyone watch out! because this huge monster tumbles down the mountain. It passes mom and crashes through the pig sty. It hits the chicken coop where Grampa Baxter is. Then finally, the pumpkin reaches dad on his tractor. The family has plans for this monster of a pumpkin and everyone helps in the kitchen where they bake bread, pie, etc. Then they all sit down for a Halloween dinner with a gigantic jack-o'-lantern.
The illustration is great to show how the pumpkin crashes it's way through the farm. I didn't like how the grandma looks so much older than grandpa.
The writing is like a poem and or song with a repeating chorus. "'Round and 'round across the ground makin' a thumpin' bumpin' sound came that thumpety, bumpety thumpin' bumpin' round and roll-y Runaway Pumpkin.
This is a cute book for the younger crowd. A nice introduction to the fall season and Halloween.
The illustration is great to show how the pumpkin crashes it's way through the farm. I didn't like how the grandma looks so much older than grandpa.
The writing is like a poem and or song with a repeating chorus. "'Round and 'round across the ground makin' a thumpin' bumpin' sound came that thumpety, bumpety thumpin' bumpin' round and roll-y Runaway Pumpkin.
This is a cute book for the younger crowd. A nice introduction to the fall season and Halloween.
October 30, 2024
Some farm kids push an extremely large pumpkin down a hill toward the family homestead. The subsequent chaos and destruction seems secondary to all the adults who imagine ways the pumpkin could be cooked.
You'd think there would be major repercussions, but then I think how I got off easy at six when I knocked Dad's car into neutral and it rolled downhill into the barn. After some initial shock, Dad ended up with a brand-new Cadillac, a larger barn, and an amusing story about his son bursting into the bathroom while he was on the toilet and yelling, "I drove it, Dad, I drove the car! But, oh, Dad, I wrecked it! I wrecked it all to hell!"
My daughter liked this book when I read it to her at four-years-old, but she was less fond of it here twenty years later when I read it to her again.
You'd think there would be major repercussions, but then I think how I got off easy at six when I knocked Dad's car into neutral and it rolled downhill into the barn. After some initial shock, Dad ended up with a brand-new Cadillac, a larger barn, and an amusing story about his son bursting into the bathroom while he was on the toilet and yelling, "I drove it, Dad, I drove the car! But, oh, Dad, I wrecked it! I wrecked it all to hell!"
My daughter liked this book when I read it to her at four-years-old, but she was less fond of it here twenty years later when I read it to her again.
October 29, 2013
When little Lil watched her “bumbling, big-head brothers” cut the gigantic pumpkin from its vine, disaster is sure to follow. It rolls down the hill through the pig pen, the chicken coop past the cows leaving a mess behind. But all the Baxters can think about are the many things Granny can cook up with that huge pumpkin. Poppa Baxter’s great idea to stop the pumpkin was perfect and so was the Halloween party, once Granny finished cooking!
This is a cute story and great illustrations. Children will love listening as the story unfolds.
This is a cute story and great illustrations. Children will love listening as the story unfolds.
November 18, 2020
Cute and enjoyable. The class I read it to really enjoyed it for Halloween. They were first grade.
March 28, 2025
My son and I had a blast reading and being silly
November 16, 2014
The Runaway Pumpkin by Kevin Lewis is about three kids, Buck, Billy, and Lil who find a humongous pumpkin on the top of a hill. Buck and Bill want to show everyone this great big pumpkin and try to roll it down the hill. However, it is so big that they lose control of the pumpkin and it goes rolling and bumping and thumping down the hillside! As it rolls through Momma Baxter’s sty, knocking over Grandpa Baxter, and hurdling towards Poppa Baxter on his tractor, all they could think of is pumpkin soup, bread, and pie.
The illustrations are detailed and colorful with the pumpkin being represented on each page. The text on the pages even have a fun take on the illustrations themselves as they wrap around and curve around the pumpkin itself ! Not only that, but the rhythm and rhyming scheme of the book create a sort of upbeat tone to the book that makes the book a fun and enjoyable read. Don’t be surprised if you get tongue-tied as the author’s use of figurative language (onomatopoeia) may have you stumbling over your words!
The illustrations are detailed and colorful with the pumpkin being represented on each page. The text on the pages even have a fun take on the illustrations themselves as they wrap around and curve around the pumpkin itself ! Not only that, but the rhythm and rhyming scheme of the book create a sort of upbeat tone to the book that makes the book a fun and enjoyable read. Don’t be surprised if you get tongue-tied as the author’s use of figurative language (onomatopoeia) may have you stumbling over your words!
October 17, 2012
Preschool and older
This is an awesome book to read especially during fall when children are able to see pumpkins around. It’s about Buck, Billy and their baby sister, Lil who spotted a big pumpkin. When Baxter’s family saw the big pumpkin they thought of Granny’s delicious meal, and at the end they all got to enjoy soup, bread and pie.
Learning Experience
After reading this book, I will have different types of pumpkins for children to see. We will look at things that are round, flat, huge, medium and small. We will talk about and look at different things we can make out of pumpkins and children will get to taste pumpkin bread.
This is an awesome book to read especially during fall when children are able to see pumpkins around. It’s about Buck, Billy and their baby sister, Lil who spotted a big pumpkin. When Baxter’s family saw the big pumpkin they thought of Granny’s delicious meal, and at the end they all got to enjoy soup, bread and pie.
Learning Experience
After reading this book, I will have different types of pumpkins for children to see. We will look at things that are round, flat, huge, medium and small. We will talk about and look at different things we can make out of pumpkins and children will get to taste pumpkin bread.
September 27, 2014
One Halloween morning, the three Baxter kids climbed the hill near their town.
"And there, upon that hillside,
growing orange, fat and fine,
the budding Baxters found a pumpkin
on a twisty, twirly vine."
While their sister watched, the Baxter boys snapped off that monster pumpkin from the vine at the top of the hill. But they didn't expect what happened next. Oh, no! It's a runaway pumpkin!
S. D. Schindler's illustrations are hilarious as the pumpkin bounces and bumps its way through the pigsty and the chicken coop, until it lands with a plop right in Poppa Baxter's plowed field. A rhythmic read-aloud picture book for ages 2-5.
"And there, upon that hillside,
growing orange, fat and fine,
the budding Baxters found a pumpkin
on a twisty, twirly vine."
While their sister watched, the Baxter boys snapped off that monster pumpkin from the vine at the top of the hill. But they didn't expect what happened next. Oh, no! It's a runaway pumpkin!
S. D. Schindler's illustrations are hilarious as the pumpkin bounces and bumps its way through the pigsty and the chicken coop, until it lands with a plop right in Poppa Baxter's plowed field. A rhythmic read-aloud picture book for ages 2-5.
Read
November 15, 2014The runaway pumpkin is a story of Buck, Billy and Lil Baxter who find a pumpkin that’s the largest in the patch. It rolls all through town and runs over millions of things. Each time someone in the family thinks of something grandma will make like pumpkin soup, or pumpkin bread as the pumpkin comes rolling through town. The end of the story concludes with the pumpkin finally stopping somewhere, and you wonder where it will stop!
The way Runaway Pumpkin fits in with this genre is definitely its rhyming. The technique is also very interesting and the words follow a patter down the page. With the way the pumpkin rolls the words follow the page.
The way Runaway Pumpkin fits in with this genre is definitely its rhyming. The technique is also very interesting and the words follow a patter down the page. With the way the pumpkin rolls the words follow the page.
October 5, 2017
I love getting my October/Fall/Halloween books and shelves featured! It's a fun time of year, and I love generating excitement with themed books and read alouds. This is one I came across with one of my kiddos today, and it brought back fond memories, as this was a book purchased during my first year teaching at our fall book fair. It's a nice, cross-curricular book with a theme, and it can be used for a number of different purposes and for a wide range of audiences. For my student and I today, it made for a fun shared reading experience while looking through the illustrations.
March 13, 2008
My sister-in-law (age 10) left this in my car. Of course, I picked it up and read it. It's a funny Halloween story of three Baxter children who find a huge pumpkin and the boy Baxters promptly try to remove the pumpkin from its perch. It rolls down the hill, and members from his family has designs on things they would like to do or make with a pumpkin (pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, pumpkin soup).
October 10, 2013
Great fall book for kids. My one year old Nd two year old want me to read this to them at least twice a day. We got it from the library initially but they loved it so much I went ahead and bought a copy for our own home-library. I gave it four starts because it has a rhyming scheme to it that works lovely, but in some instances just doesn't make sense. At those points we inserted our own words to make the rhyming work. Overall, a fun fall read for all ages!
September 17, 2015
This book I have to say is one of our very favorites! It has the best rhythm and wording that makes us want to read it all year around! I find myself many times reading parts of it as we go through our day! Its about a huge pumpkin that two brothers cut from the stem...and it rolls out of control down a big hill! Our favorite is when it says the thumpety, bumpety, thumpin' bumpin' round and roll-y RUNAWAY PUMPKIN!!! A MUST read!
March 1, 2016
Three children come across a truly enormous pumpkin on Halloween evening. The boys set the pumpkin loose and down the hill to their farm it rolls, unabated. Everyone who comes in contact with the great, rolling pumpkin thinks of a different pumpkin treat that Granny can make with it. Luckily, Poppa figures out a way to stop the runaway pumpkin and all those treats become a reality.
Fun illustrations.
Fun illustrations.
December 16, 2008
This is a cute children's picture book that is perfect for Halloween read-alouds! The pumpkin at the top of the hill is too big, and is rolling toward disaster! Can anyone stop it? And can Granny Baxter cook up some yummy pumpkin treats? And don't you just love everyone's Halloween costume? Great family fun!
January 11, 2011
Love how all ages of kids get hooked on this one. A very large pumpkin rolls down the hill because the kids uprooted and the father finally plows a whole for it to get caught in. Everyone squeezes it into Grandmas house and she makes everything pumpkin for the whole family while still leaving the shell of the jack-o-lantern to enjoy!
December 17, 2012
Very fun story to read around Halloween. It discusses a huge pumpkin that is rolling away. The pumpkin crashes through different buildings on the farm, and heads towards the farmers home! Can be used for talking about order of events, or retelling of stories. I used this with my first graders around halloween, and they loved it.
September 9, 2017
A funny, lyrical read aloud! I used this with my high ability 4th graders for a STEM project. They sent their own mini pumpkins rolling off ramps they constructed from odds and ends. Then they measured the distance of each pumpkin roll and explain how their construction aided (or not) in the speed and velocity.
November 7, 2017
This was a really cute book about 3 kids who find a HUGE pumpkin! They decide to cut it off the vine and it went rolling down the hill through the pig sty, the chicken coop until it made it to the kitchen where grandma made delicious pumpkin goodies! This is a really fun read with a younger audience.
January 25, 2009
A fun book for Halloween time for kids. A rhyming story about 2 brothers and a little sister and what happens when they let loose a giant pumpkin they find on Halloween. It has to be in the top 5 requested books to be read AGAIN by my children. Good fun!
September 30, 2010
This book is very cute! It is another rhyming book, in which three children choose a pumpkin. However, when clipped from it's vine, it goes flying downhill possible causing a huge disaster! Quick thinking saves the day and the family enjoys yummy pumpkin treats made by grandma!
October 12, 2010
This book is a rhyming book that is full of alliterations, adjectives, creative wording and descriptive words. Great book for fun reading but also to teach about creative writing (especially in October).
October 31, 2010
This book has animated words that brings the story to life when you read it. It is great for read alouds because it shows a writing craft with repetitive and rhyming words throughout the whole story.
November 27, 2010
It is Halloween and a family has food on their mind. When the children knock a enormous pumpkin down a hill it takes the wits of the whole family to stop that runaway pumpkin and turn it into a Halloween meal.
April 22, 2011
This would be a great book to read around Halloween time. It also helps children learn more about rhyming. There are a lot of ideas from this book for children to relate to such as costumes, pumpkin pie, etc. I enjoyed the story and the illustrations.
November 13, 2011
The words are arranged in very fun way so children would never get tired of reading this book. I would like to display this book on the book shelf during halloween days. I would let children get to see the great illustration and have them think of some of halloween food they can make with pumpkins.
September 11, 2012
The Runaway Pumpkin is such a cute read aloud children's book! It is perfect to read to a class around Halloween. The word use and writing style is great for reading aloud. I would recommend this to any teacher wanting a fun holiday themed read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 128 reviews