The Pumpkin War

by Cathleen Young

The Pumpkin War

Genres: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Childrens, Fiction, Contemporary, School, Juvenile

3 pages, Audio CD

First published May 21, 2019

About the author

Like Billie in her book The Pumpkin War, Cathleen grew up among storytellers. She often went fishing all around the Badger State with her father, who was a newspaper reporter.  Ever since she was little, Cathleen’s dream was to write for kids.

After graduating from the University of Georgia, Cathleen began writing for magazines like McCall’s and Working Mother. Later, she worked as a police reporter at CITY NEWS BUREAU in Chicago. She then moved into television, writing everything from soap operas like The Young and the Restless to shows like Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman and MacGyver.

She has over a dozen television movies to her credit, including the award-winning HALLMARK HALL OF FAME movie, A Place for Annie. Cathleen is now the executive director of HUMANITAS, where she gets to help aspiring writers break into film and tv.  She lives in Santa Monica, California, with her twin daughters, Shaelee and Gemma, her husband Patrick, and the family dogs Butch and Rexxy.

It was only after her twins were born that Cathleen discovered her true writer’s voice.

Reviews

[Erin Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness! Tiny Craig and I adored this book!

[TL *Humaning the Best She Can* · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was sitting out on a display the library had made and it caught my eye when I was wondering around looking for something to cheer me up. The cover looked perfect for fall and for some reason Middle grade books get me out of a funk.

This was a wonderful story of forgiveness, family, and friendship..seeing things differently than you thought they were, and growing up a bit more.

It was easy to get lost in the world of this book and feel like you knew these people for a time. I found myself sad when it was time to leave everyone. I hope the author revisits the town and the family again 🙏.

Family and friendships are complex and sometimes you miss when things are charging then the universe sends a nudge your way to try and get you to "see."

I wish it has expanded on a couple things but it didn't affect my enjoyment of the book.

Would recommend:)

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Random House Children's books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book and provide an honest review.

I was so impressed with The Pumpkin War by Cathleen Young. The main character, twelve year old Billie, is fiercely competitive, spunky and extremely intelligent. She so badly wants to win the annual pumpkin race that is held every Fall. Sam, her best friend, beat her the year before and it is her mission to stop that from happening again. From the very first chapter, there are important themes discussed regarding diversity, sibling angst and winning and losing. Right away, I was hooked. This is a great book for kids!

Another thing I really liked about this book was how much education it provided. What a fun way to learn about growing pumpkins from a science perspective as well as different things about nature. The characters are also extremely lovable, but they provide teaching moments for kids. I think this would be a great parent/child read as well.

I'd recommend this to any kid who likes the outdoors, bugs/gardening, science/nature and just reading a really fun story. I would highly recommend this and definitely plan on buying this for my niece who LOVES to read.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up
Quick, enjoyable read

[- The Polybrary - · Rating 5 out of 5]

~*Check out all my reviews over on The Bent Bookworm!*~

The Pumpkin War (due out on May 21, 2019) is a story of friendship and family, of getting back to the earth and enjoying the small things in life – and all this in a beautiful setting, with writing that seems just perfect for a middle grade audience! I was quite impressed. Usually books that try to take on this scope of feelings and events end up falling flat in one way or another, but this one is just right. I feel like Goldilocks, dancing around with glee after finding the three bears’ house and baby bear’s “just-right” porridge.

Billie is 12 years old, the oldest of three siblings. Their dad is Irish and their mom is Ojibwe, and they live on a Canadian island. Billie is fiercely competitive in all ways, and ESPECIALLY when it comes to growing monster pumpkins! She has been in an almost year-long standoff with the boy who used to be her best friend, since she is convinced he knocked her out of last year’s pumpkin race on purpose.

I loved the depiction of rural life in Canada. Billie not only takes care of her pumpkins, but also bees. Bees! Also there is more about fishing, and gardening, and the traditions of the Ojibwe. It was just so…homey. Down to earth. I loved it, and I think middle-school-me would have loved it as well. Also, adult-me loved her parents! Their differences in background were lightly touched on, and Billie obviously embraces both sides of her heritage. She even finds out about some “family secrets” part way through the book (nothing adult level), and has a part in reconciling her dad with his past. Also, Billlie’s youngest sibling is born near the beginning of the book and the struggles of adding a new baby to family life are also portrayed – Billie’s mom and dad aren’t perfect, and I totally sympathized with them.

Billie struggles all summer long to come to terms with what happened with Sam in the last race. Despite his efforts, she’s not quite willing to forgive him. Will she let a mistake ruin their friendship? Is being first more important? I thoroughly enjoyed the way this played out, and also the fact that the author didn’t make her competitive nature a bad thing (as happens so often when it is a girl character being competitive).

5/5 stars. This book will be going on my shelf!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

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[Ms. B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set on Madeline Island (part of the Apostle Islands on the south shore of Lake Superior), during the summer between 6th and 7th grade. Billie hasn't really spoken to her friend Sam in almost a year since he ruined her pumpkin boat in an annual race. Was it on purpose? Or did Billie misinterpret what happened? In addition, there's a new baby at hime and the grandpa (her Dad's dad) shows up unexpectedly. Billie is neither the most likable nor reliable narrator. She is human; she lies and is quick to anger.
Regional readers who know Wisconsin's Madeline Island or are familiar with Ojibwe culture will enjoy this best.

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 2 out of 5]

This middle grade novel started out promising. The writing is strong, and the characters are likable, and I was pleased to note that it was short. (I often lament the absence of strong, slim novels these days as compared with what was published decades ago, and I got my hopes up.) Unfortunately, the plot quickly becomes bogged down by too many storylines. Though the title and cover suggest that the pumpkin race is at the heart of the story, this is just one of several disparate threads running through the book that never seem to come together. There is just so much going on - references to Ojibwe language and culture (which some reviews have identified as inaccurate), the arrival of a mysterious estranged Irish grandfather, a feud between protagonist Billie and her best friend Sam, beekeeping, pumpkin growing, and more. Far from being the compact and focused novel I was hoping for, this book would have needed to be twice as long to even begin to properly handle everything it tried to take on.

[Stormi (StormReads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Pumpkin War is a cute coming of age story about a girl named Billie and how she learns a few things over the summer when a surprise visitor shows up. 

Last summer Billies best friend Sam hit her pumpkin in the pumpkin wars, which is a contest where you grow a big pumpkin and carve it out then race it down the river, he swears he didn't do it on purpose. She doesn't believe him and quits being friends with him because he caused her to lose the race. 

Billie and Sam have done everything together since they were little but she can't let go of last summer's pumpkin war. Sam tries everything he can to get her to forgive him but she refuses. She starts to see Sam in a new light when a stranger comes to town and she learns about how forgiveness is more for yourself than for the one you're trying to forgive.

I enjoyed this book but I wasn't always a fan of Billie, I thought she was a little self absorbed as she always just thought of herself. How she likes to win, the fact that she would have won if it wasn't for Sam, etc. I am really glad she redeems herself as she was really just a brat. I really liked Sam and felt bad for him.

Overall, I think this would be a cute story for young readers. 

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! It was charming and sweet and made me want to pick up my life and move to Madeline Island! Billie caught my heart immediately and I loved watching her nurture her pumpkins and bees. She had such a poetic view of the nature and people all around her. And what a good friend she had in Sam – it warmed my heart when she realized the value of that and was able forgive him. I also enjoyed how the author had us subtly learning about the Ojibwe people. She did a fabulous job weaving it into the story. BTW – the polka scene was a crack up!! Highly recommend this for all ages of readers.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read this in exchange for an honest review.

[Bookish Devil · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm writing this review after fighting back the happy tears I got once I finished reading the book.

"The Pumpkin War", as the name implies, is about Bille who is focused on growing a pumpkin big enough to beat the rest of the competitors, especially her ex-bff sam, in the annual pumpkin race held in Madeline Island, Wisconsin. Bille and Sam used to be inseparable friends until sam robbed her off the victory she deserved during the previous year's pumpkin race. From that instance, Bille decided to hold a huge grudge against sam.

Like the popular saying " Happiness is the journey and not the destination", the story isn't really about the race. Bille isn't the only one under the limelight. In fact, her entire family is. It's more about the love, care and affection the characters have for each other. The author has conveyed the importance of cultural and family values very beautifully.

When you start reading the novel, you could literally feel the disgust, hate, and anger in bille's tone when she narrates the story. But once you get to empathize with her feelings, you get connected with her and would understand the hurt/pain she carries in her heart. This doesn't allow herself to be in her usual self. She is grumpy all the time and even though several months had passed after that incident at pumpkin race, she still keeps thinking of it and strives to get revenge.

I thought the story would be pretty straightforward wherein bille works hard to get her pumpkin right and then go on to win the race. But this is where the author differs. She takes you in a path which you never thought it existed before. She focuses on Bille's family, her friends etc who all create a big impact on Bille's life. All these events and happenings slowly mold and makes her wise and mature over time. In the end, we readers, like bille, realize that more than winning or securing first place in a competition, the values of friends, family, forgiveness, selflessness, kindness, care, and most importantly the love we have for the people around are the most priceless possessions we can ever have in life.

Those are the feelings/bonds which need to be cherished by all of us.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me the ARC.
Also, Thank you Cathleen Young for writing such an inspiring novel.

[c · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review copy courtesy of NetGalley.

As more and more educators are chucking Laura Ingalls Wilder for her anti-Native-American overtones, may I humbly suggest that “The Pumpkin War” - set in rural, lake-side Wisconsin replace the Little House books? My favorite thing about Wilder’s series was always how she described all of the processes behind the farm chores, and this book does exactly that. Billie describes making and selling honey, fishing for her grandmother’s restaurant, riding her own boat out, and helping her neighbors take care and sheer their llamas. This is all besides the scheming and careful attention to growing the thousand pound pumpkins that she will then turn into a boat to race in.

If the rural how-to isn’t your kind of book, there’s also a lot of realistic fiction angst as Billie struggles with her former best friend, who also happened to beat her and destroy her in last year’s pumpkin race. Her family is struggling through adding a new baby and her father has a mysterious subplot involving his own life.

The book is respectful to Native American customs as Billie is one quarter Native American and she describes attending a powwow. Careful readers may note that the author does not appear to have that background but acknowledges doing research with an expert.

Will definitely be purchasing for my library and recommending as a read!

[Erika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley for the chance to read early and review.

This was a great middle-grade story about friends and family, and learning how to deal with your feelings. It also has a ton of great facts about Einstein, the universe, different cultures, llamas, pumpkin growing, bees, and fishing. I'll be recommending it to my niece that likes science facts as well as my other niece that likes llamas and farming.

[Andrea Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a SWEET story of friendship, unforgettable characters, and a beautiful blending of two cultures. (Island living, Irish and Ojibwe heritage) We will definitely be reading this one again in the future!

[Rión Winn · Rating 4 out of 5]

read it for the middle school book club I am running.

[Tara]

I thought this was a good story demonstrating the difficulty in forgiving but also the benefits of doing so. I also liked the integration of cultures throughout in a smooth way.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read aloud to my daughter. The average of our two ratings is a four. We picked it up because we live in Wisconsin and could appreciate the geography of where it took place.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story, set on Madeline Island in Wisconsin, is a 3.5 for me, and it represents a strong book from a debut author from whom I hope to have many more stories. The plot concerns the fracture in a lifelong friendship between 12-year-old Billie and her best friend Sam. Their community comes together at the end of the summer for various celebrations, among them a pumpkin race across the water. But an accident for which Billie blames Sam caused her entry to break near the finish line, and Billie has been stewing about it ever since. You see, Billie is accustomed to winning, and she has the blue ribbons to prove it. While Sam tries to maintain their friendship and make up for what happened, Billie isn't having it, and she brushes off his efforts, holding tight to her anger. Her maternal Ojibwe grandmother tries to help her see the error of her ways, but Billie is single-minded in her pursuit of victory and revenge this year. There are subplots concerning a visit from her father's father from Ireland and a new baby in the family as well as some drama concerning the mayor who years for her grandmother. All of these are rich topics that might be explored if the author returns to this book for additional stories. It's also clear that this is a community that cherishes the land and respects Native American culture, aspects of which are sprinkled into the narratively carefully. The details about the care needed to grow massive pumpkins are interesting, but they also enable readers to realize that some of this is luck as well as Mother Nature's whims. As for Billie? Eventually, she realizes that when she looks in the mirror, she doesn't like what she sees. "Shouldn't there be room for other people to shine in my universe?" (p. 171) is an important turning point and realization for Billie as it will be for young readers accustomed to the notion of winning at all costs. While winning is wonderful because of the sense of accomplishment and recognition it brings, it certainly isn't everything. I thoroughly enjoyed this well-written book.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to this lovely book (my very first Audible book) and really enjoyed it. It's only been reviewed on Goodreads 33 times and there is only one copy available in my rather large library system which surprises me but maybe it is just too tame for today's youth. It is both an interesting story about giant pumpkin boat races which is apparently "a thing" in Wisconsin, the setting of this book, as well as a coming of age type story about a young girl holding a grudge against her best friend.

Twelve year old Billie and her former best friend Sam have been growing pumpkins for the pumpkin race for as long as they can remember. Who knew anyone could grow one thousand pound pumpkins! As a result of an incident in the previous year's race, Billie is no longer speaking to Sam, a grudge which, as the story unfolds, makes life uncomfortable and difficult for everyone around them as grudges are wont to do but Billie holds her ground. Forgiveness is not an option!
Meanwhile the reader learns a lot about the science of raising pumpkins, how vigilant one has to be from beginning to end, and how mother nature can thwart the process at every turn.

Despite both good advice regarding her grudge from everyone around Billie and Sam's best efforts at mending fences, it takes the arrival of a long lost family member to make Billie understand the far reaching effects of an unresolved grievance.

I really enjoyed Mary Sean Young's narration of this peaceful interlude in my life. And I learned something too! I highly recommend this book to both young and old readers.

[Amy Robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read The Pumpkin War, by Cathleen Young, in exchange for an honest review.

Shh, don't tell the kids they're learning!  This charming book, shares loads of practical knowledge and educational content, while engaging readers in a fun filled story.  This read will intrigue right from the start. The two main characters, Billie and her friend Sam, take the reader through what it takes to grow the largest pumpkin.  Billie and Sam have had their ups and downs. We learn about winning and losing, grudges and forgiveness, honesty and loyalty..
Billie has an Irish father and an Ojibwe grandmother.  Even though Billie does not at first appreciate her heritage, she will learn to respect and honor their beliefs, rituals, and tradition.
I love the way grandma shares her wisdom, but never tells Billie she is wrong, or how to solve her problems.  Billie soon comes to value and respect her elders, their stories, morals, and culture.

The author does a wonderful job of incorporating bits of science, math, and nature in to the lives of Billie and Sam.  After all, you don't grow a 1000 pound pumpkin without knowing about biology, water, soil, and the sun. The text introduces challenging vocabulary words, all of which can be understood from the context of the story.  Most importantly, Billie, Sam, and their friends and family, learn the intricacies of being a friend, a real friend.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the story of Billie who is growing up in Wisconsin. Every year the kids on Madeline Island grow their own pumpkins, hollow them out and then race them in the water. Billie is sure that last year Sam (her ex-best friend), sabotaged her pumpkin during the race, which he then went on to win.
This little book has a lot going on (and too much, IMO).
We have the bad relation between Billie and Sam, the arrival of Billie's new baby brother, an attack of fire ants in her tree house, the arrival of Billie's paternal grandfather (who Billie's father refuses to speak to), an accident in a boat during a major storm which includes a black out vision and a hospital visit, and of course the pumpkin race.
Worse yet, her suspicions about her friend (after she told her friend she was sorry) were true! Plus she learned that he was the one who attracted the fire ants to her tree house, which she hadn't suspected. Why does she want to be friends with him?
Loved the nature and love letter to Wisconsin but did not love the story of the relationships.

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this aloud to my kids and it was probably a bit old for them (my oldest is 7), but we still enjoyed it. I checked it out because I thought it was going to be a good Halloween read. Although it wasn’t about Halloween at all, it was a good fall read.

Twelve year old Billie is a self-sufficient girl mostly doing her own thing over the summer break. I was both in awe at all she did on her own and was wondering where her parents were. In the midst of preparing for the annual pumpkin race, she’s also figuring out relationships.

As a parent, I cringed at the lack of parental involvement and thought how her relationships troubles could have been mitigated if she had the guidance of a parent. I realize the intended audience was middle grade kids and it probably spoke to them; however, I didn’t love the theme of her been almost completely on her own (almost forgotten in a sense), especially when she had a loving, good family.

The overall message of the book is nice; however, I’d definitely recommend this more for middle grades.

[Jess Bonanni · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sadly this one missed the mark for me!

🎃 The premise for this book revolves around a pumpkin race between two rivals, Billie and Sam. I really enjoyed the premise of the pumpkin boat race but ultimately, felt it got a bit lost with all of the other subplots happening. Because of that, I just didn’t connect with this one like I wanted to.

🎃 With this being such a short book and there being too many plot lines going on, I feel like this one just let me down a bit. The writing was good and I definitely enjoyed the setting and felt it was a good way to get all of those autumn vibes but I don’t know that it will be one I remember.

I am now curious to know where I can see an actual pumpkin boat race though since it just sounds so fun!

[Kim Gavlick hewlett · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted this book to be better. I read it aloud to my 10 and 8 year olds. The protagonist holds on to a serious grudge the entire book and her hatred was traumatizing to my 10 year old! There is way too much science chatter and the plot is quite unbelievable as these kids know way too much about every aspect of nature and science...it made us all feel like we were missing something. In addition, the entire book leads up to a race...and the race may have been the most underwhelming part of the story! Might be a good quick read for a brainy 12 year old to pick up but did not work my kids and I. There were some interesting elements though.

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed The Pumpkin War by Cathleen Young. I loved reading about the bees, pumpkins, llamas and life on Madeline Island. I felt transported. The plot was refreshing. In many middle grade books, friendships are falling apart (usually because of a mean girl), and the main character has to learn the lesson that not all friends are worth keeping. The Pumpkin War sort of flips that around. Readers can see from Billie how important it is to self-reflect and analyze your contribution to relationships. The wonderful characters and setting perfectly compliment the plot.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun middle grade read about a girl with unique, interesting hobbies—keeping bees, growing pumpkins, helping her friend tend to llamas, etc. Billie's daily doings are intriguing, and the challenges she has because of them make her an intriguing narrator. Her friend and family problems keep her relatable. Although this is a fast read, there's a lot going on in this slim novel. It's engaging, fun, and touching. THE PUMPKIN WAR is a classic, timeless tale that will appeal to readers of all ages. I enjoyed it.

[Jeretta Hall-Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute middle grade novel. And a very quick read. The main character is a young girl, just trying to figure out life. There are moments when she is very likable and moments when she is not, much like with real people. While the intelligence factor of the kids involved is a little beyond belief at some points, most of it is very understandable, given that many of them live and work on farms. So their knowledge of crops, animals, and insects is on par.

But there is a lot in this little book about family dynamics, perception/judgment, and just growing up. Solid read.

[Mariangela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose this book as a read-aloud for my fourth grader. We were about halfway through when she asked if she could take it to bed and keep reading. She finished the rest of it that night!

This is a very sweet book about friendship and forgiveness. The ending wasn’t as spectacular as my adult brain would’ve liked, but the message of the story is everything I would want my child to understand and it’s refreshing to come across a book with a good influence.

She said she would give it three stars, sharing my opinion on the ending, but still thought it was a good book. 😊

[Angela Colson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute story. Read this before deciding if I should give it to my granddaughter. This story has lessons about friendship, what is healthy competition, Indian and Irish heritage, science, and horticulture. My concerns were over talk of the Big Bang theory, parents yelling at each other (small reference), beer drinking (small reference), the use of ‘shut up’ several times (a no no in some families), and Indian prophets and Mother Earth (small reference). So, depending on your beliefs this may be a book you want to discuss with your child.

[Mary West · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was surprised how much I ended up liking this book. At first it was a bit hard to get but about half way I couldn't put it down. It even made me cry! Such a good book that shows the emotions of a twelve year little girl and the real complications inside a family unit. There's tons of information too on growing pumpkins, Ojibwe tribe, bees and pollination. I loved how it showed forgiveness in such a real way.

[Wensday · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recommend those looking for a quick, enjoyable read to pick this book up. The characters are likable and the situations are real. If you are a teacher and have a student that may not be an avid reader, you should recommend this book to them.

I received this from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.