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Squashed
Humor, agriculture and young love all come together in Joan Bauer's first novel, set in rural Iowa. Sixteen-year-old Ellie Morgan's life would be almost perfect if she could just get her potentially prize-winning pumpkin to put on about 200 more pounds—and if she could take off 20 herself...in hopes of attracting Wes, the new boy in town.
208 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1992
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1487 people want to read
About the author
Joan Bauer
26 books886 followersFrom: http://www.joanbauer.com/jbbio.html
July 12, 1951 - I was born at eleven A.M., a most reasonable time, my mother often said, and when the nurse put me in my mother's arms for the first time I had both a nasty case of the hiccups and no discernible forehead (it's since grown in). I've always believed in comic entrances.
As I grew up in River Forest, Illinois, in the 1950's, I seem to remember an early fascination with things that were funny. I thought that people who could make other people laugh were terribly fortunate. While my friends made their career plans, declaring they would become doctors, nurses, and lawyers, inwardly I knew that I wanted to be involved somehow in comedy. This, however, was a difficult concept to get across in first grade. But I had a mother with a great comic sense (she was a high school English teacher) and a grandmother who had been a funny professional storyteller, so I figured the right genes were in there somewhere, although I didn't always laugh at what my friends laughed at and they rarely giggled at my jokes. That, and the fact that I was overweight and very tall, all made me feel quite different when I was growing up--a bit like a musk ox at a tea party.
My grandmother, who I called Nana, had the biggest influence on me creatively. She taught me the importance of stories and laughter. She never said, "Now I'm going to tell you a funny story," she'd just tell a story, and the humor would naturally flow from it because of who she was and how she and her characters saw the world. She showed me the difference between derisive laughter that hurts others and laughter that comes from the heart. She showed me, too, that stories help us understand ourselves at a deep level. She was a keen observer of people.
I kept a diary as a child, was always penning stories and poems. I played the flute heartily, taught myself the guitar, and wrote folk songs. For years I wanted to be a comedienne, then a comedy writer. I was a voracious reader, too, and can still remember the dark wood and the green leather chairs of the River Forest Public Library, can hear my shoes tapping on the stairs going down to the children's room, can feel my fingers sliding across rows and rows of books, looking through the card catalogs that seemed to house everything that anyone would ever need to know about in the entire world. My parents divorced when I was eight years old, and I was devastated at the loss of my father. I pull from that memory regularly as a writer. Every book I have written so far has dealt with complex father issues. My dad was an alcoholic and the pain of that was a shadow that followed me for years, but I've learned things from that experience that have made me resilient. I attempted to address those issues in Rules of the Road, and I took them even further in the companion book, Best Foot Forward. The theme that I try to carry into all of my writing is this: adversity, if we let it, will make us stronger.
In my twenties, I worked in sales and advertising for the Chicago Tribune, McGraw-Hill, WLS Radio, and Parade Magazine. I met my husband Evan, a computer engineer, while I was on vacation. Our courtship was simple. He asked me to dance; I said no. We got married five months later in August, 1981. But I was not happy in advertising sales, and I had a few ulcers to prove it. With Evan's loving support, I decided to try my hand at professional writing. I wish I could say that everything started falling into place, but it was a slow, slow build -- writing newspaper and magazine articles for not much money. My daughter Jean was born in July of '82. She had the soul of a writer even as a baby. I can remember sitting at my typewriter (I didn't have a computer back then) writing away with Jean on a blanket on the floor next to me. If my writing was bad that day, I'd tear that page out of the typewriter and hand it to her. "Bad paper," I'd say and Jean would r
July 12, 1951 - I was born at eleven A.M., a most reasonable time, my mother often said, and when the nurse put me in my mother's arms for the first time I had both a nasty case of the hiccups and no discernible forehead (it's since grown in). I've always believed in comic entrances.
As I grew up in River Forest, Illinois, in the 1950's, I seem to remember an early fascination with things that were funny. I thought that people who could make other people laugh were terribly fortunate. While my friends made their career plans, declaring they would become doctors, nurses, and lawyers, inwardly I knew that I wanted to be involved somehow in comedy. This, however, was a difficult concept to get across in first grade. But I had a mother with a great comic sense (she was a high school English teacher) and a grandmother who had been a funny professional storyteller, so I figured the right genes were in there somewhere, although I didn't always laugh at what my friends laughed at and they rarely giggled at my jokes. That, and the fact that I was overweight and very tall, all made me feel quite different when I was growing up--a bit like a musk ox at a tea party.
My grandmother, who I called Nana, had the biggest influence on me creatively. She taught me the importance of stories and laughter. She never said, "Now I'm going to tell you a funny story," she'd just tell a story, and the humor would naturally flow from it because of who she was and how she and her characters saw the world. She showed me the difference between derisive laughter that hurts others and laughter that comes from the heart. She showed me, too, that stories help us understand ourselves at a deep level. She was a keen observer of people.
I kept a diary as a child, was always penning stories and poems. I played the flute heartily, taught myself the guitar, and wrote folk songs. For years I wanted to be a comedienne, then a comedy writer. I was a voracious reader, too, and can still remember the dark wood and the green leather chairs of the River Forest Public Library, can hear my shoes tapping on the stairs going down to the children's room, can feel my fingers sliding across rows and rows of books, looking through the card catalogs that seemed to house everything that anyone would ever need to know about in the entire world. My parents divorced when I was eight years old, and I was devastated at the loss of my father. I pull from that memory regularly as a writer. Every book I have written so far has dealt with complex father issues. My dad was an alcoholic and the pain of that was a shadow that followed me for years, but I've learned things from that experience that have made me resilient. I attempted to address those issues in Rules of the Road, and I took them even further in the companion book, Best Foot Forward. The theme that I try to carry into all of my writing is this: adversity, if we let it, will make us stronger.
In my twenties, I worked in sales and advertising for the Chicago Tribune, McGraw-Hill, WLS Radio, and Parade Magazine. I met my husband Evan, a computer engineer, while I was on vacation. Our courtship was simple. He asked me to dance; I said no. We got married five months later in August, 1981. But I was not happy in advertising sales, and I had a few ulcers to prove it. With Evan's loving support, I decided to try my hand at professional writing. I wish I could say that everything started falling into place, but it was a slow, slow build -- writing newspaper and magazine articles for not much money. My daughter Jean was born in July of '82. She had the soul of a writer even as a baby. I can remember sitting at my typewriter (I didn't have a computer back then) writing away with Jean on a blanket on the floor next to me. If my writing was bad that day, I'd tear that page out of the typewriter and hand it to her. "Bad paper," I'd say and Jean would r
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 328 reviews
October 28, 2019
Rating: 4.5 Stars
I chose this book on a whim, because I needed a book set in Iowa for my 50 States Reading challenge, and what an awesome treat this was. The synopsis doesn't do this book any justice, if you ask me, because at its heart, this was a tale of girl and her pumpkin.
Ellie was a grower. She put her heart, soul, and life blood into nurturing her Big Max Giant pumpkin. Her passion for growing was so inspiring to me! I never thought the story of a giant pumpkin would captivate me in this way, but it did.
I grew up in Brooklyn, where my grandfather, who had farmed back in Poland, had a little city garden. I loved visiting and tending the fruits and veggies, but I had no clue how much really went into making the garden grow. I loved when Ellie shared all her knowledge about caring for Max with me. It was interesting, and I was awed by her knowledge and dedication.
But, there was a lot more to this book than growing. This was really a story about Ellie, who immediately owned a piece of my heart. I loved her voice, her humor, her passion. I just could not resist wanting to know more about her.
She was a young woman, who had lost her mother at a rather young age, and was desperately trying to connect with her father. This was the part that really hit me in the feels, and is currently bringing tears to my eyes. It was a special treat seeing Ellie and her dad build that bridge back to each other as they attempted to mend the mom-sized hole in their hearts.
But, she was also an average teen, who had a crush on a new-to-town grower, Wes. Wes and Ellie were two peas in a pod, and their courtship was rather endearing. I smiled until it hurt as I watched these two grow closer and closer, as Max grew bigger and bigger.
Bauer drew these wonderful parallels between Max's life and Ellie's life. They both went through a growing cycle together, and I cheered and shed tears for them both.
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I chose this book on a whim, because I needed a book set in Iowa for my 50 States Reading challenge, and what an awesome treat this was. The synopsis doesn't do this book any justice, if you ask me, because at its heart, this was a tale of girl and her pumpkin.
Ellie was a grower. She put her heart, soul, and life blood into nurturing her Big Max Giant pumpkin. Her passion for growing was so inspiring to me! I never thought the story of a giant pumpkin would captivate me in this way, but it did.
I grew up in Brooklyn, where my grandfather, who had farmed back in Poland, had a little city garden. I loved visiting and tending the fruits and veggies, but I had no clue how much really went into making the garden grow. I loved when Ellie shared all her knowledge about caring for Max with me. It was interesting, and I was awed by her knowledge and dedication.
But, there was a lot more to this book than growing. This was really a story about Ellie, who immediately owned a piece of my heart. I loved her voice, her humor, her passion. I just could not resist wanting to know more about her.
She was a young woman, who had lost her mother at a rather young age, and was desperately trying to connect with her father. This was the part that really hit me in the feels, and is currently bringing tears to my eyes. It was a special treat seeing Ellie and her dad build that bridge back to each other as they attempted to mend the mom-sized hole in their hearts.
But, she was also an average teen, who had a crush on a new-to-town grower, Wes. Wes and Ellie were two peas in a pod, and their courtship was rather endearing. I smiled until it hurt as I watched these two grow closer and closer, as Max grew bigger and bigger.
Bauer drew these wonderful parallels between Max's life and Ellie's life. They both went through a growing cycle together, and I cheered and shed tears for them both.
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October 3, 2011
What a great YA book. So many of the YAs I read these days are dark and dystopian and although very interesting and very good reads, sometimes ya just need something a little lighter. While squashed wasn't dark and didn't have some intense teenage relationship it still made me really feel for the characters. It even made me cry.
It has the requisite angst, a giant pumpkin, a little bit of romance, and a HFN (happy for now) ending. How can you go wrong?
On the writing side, this book helped me identify with a character that I'm writing now. This could have been the heroine's childhood story in my current MS.
Squashed's heroine:
Is a little bit chubby. Not fat, mind you, but thinks she is.
Struggles with wanting to be noticed, but is then uncomfortable when she is.
Grows up with farming and growing in her blood.
Loves to cook amazing food, that reminds her of her mother, and makes her father and cousin feel good.
Has a strange best friend (her cousin) who has a whole other outlook on life.
Gets the boy in the end, but really that's just the cherry on top.
My heroine:
Is a little bit chubby. Not fat, mind you, but thinks she is. (Never trust a skinny chef)
Struggles with toning herself down, but learns to appreciate those around her when she does.
Doesn't grow up in a farming community, but is raised with some of those same great values. (Go Big Red!)
Loves to cook amazing food that reminds her of her grandmother. It makes everyone around her feel good.
Has a strange best friend who has an interesting take on how to live life.
Gets her man in the end. (I'll have to think of the way to make it just a cherry on top for her too)
As I continue to finish my MS I will continue to think about the heroine in squashed and how her story influences mine. Thanks Joan Bauer for the inspiration.
It has the requisite angst, a giant pumpkin, a little bit of romance, and a HFN (happy for now) ending. How can you go wrong?
On the writing side, this book helped me identify with a character that I'm writing now. This could have been the heroine's childhood story in my current MS.
Squashed's heroine:
Is a little bit chubby. Not fat, mind you, but thinks she is.
Struggles with wanting to be noticed, but is then uncomfortable when she is.
Grows up with farming and growing in her blood.
Loves to cook amazing food, that reminds her of her mother, and makes her father and cousin feel good.
Has a strange best friend (her cousin) who has a whole other outlook on life.
Gets the boy in the end, but really that's just the cherry on top.
My heroine:
Is a little bit chubby. Not fat, mind you, but thinks she is. (Never trust a skinny chef)
Struggles with toning herself down, but learns to appreciate those around her when she does.
Doesn't grow up in a farming community, but is raised with some of those same great values. (Go Big Red!)
Loves to cook amazing food that reminds her of her grandmother. It makes everyone around her feel good.
Has a strange best friend who has an interesting take on how to live life.
Gets her man in the end. (I'll have to think of the way to make it just a cherry on top for her too)
As I continue to finish my MS I will continue to think about the heroine in squashed and how her story influences mine. Thanks Joan Bauer for the inspiration.
November 20, 2020
Sometimes a book just hits all the right buttons. I laughed, I cried, I lived a lifetime.
March 15, 2011
This is a quirky, delightful book about a young girl obsessed with . . . pumpkins. Every year she tries to win the fair's giant pumpkin growing contest, and this just might be her year! Combined with this, we have a crush-worthy boy, she and her dad still grieving the death of her mother, and other more, well, NORMAL teen issues, that all makes for a fun and heartwarming story.
I never thought I'd find myself cheering on someone having their pumpkin weighed . . .
I never thought I'd find myself cheering on someone having their pumpkin weighed . . .
November 25, 2020
That was quite amusing. It was almost as funny as Nightlight, but without some of the stupid stuff they put in there. I chuckled like a buffoon a lot during this rather short book. My stomach hurt with Ellie when she was waiting to be weighed. What can you do besides stress?
November 22, 2020
I loved everything about this book...the wit, the wisdom, the relatable weight loss struggles contrasting with delicious pumpkin recipes (basically, all my favorite things.) But, I loved most of all learning about the life of a grower and her pumpkin.
December 20, 2024
2024
2020
2019
Ellie is absolutely adorable. She is a scrapper of a teenager, with the will and intent on becoming the greatest pumpkin grower ever. She has Max, her proud and beautiful pumpkin, her champion hopeful. She wants to believe that he can win the Rock River Pumpkin Weigh-In, but she worries about her main competition, Cyril. Cyril is an excellent villain. He's foul and nasty and rude. He argues about Ellie's right to compete in the Weigh-In because it's supposed to be for adults and she's only 16. Ellie stands strong through it all though, with the help of her new crush, Wes. Both she and Wes are so adorable and sweet, you can't help but hope that she will ultimately win the Pumpkin Weigh-In, especially with so many odds stacked against her... Did I mention there are pumpkin thieves, in addition to her being a teenager? Yep..
2015
2020
2019
Ellie is absolutely adorable. She is a scrapper of a teenager, with the will and intent on becoming the greatest pumpkin grower ever. She has Max, her proud and beautiful pumpkin, her champion hopeful. She wants to believe that he can win the Rock River Pumpkin Weigh-In, but she worries about her main competition, Cyril. Cyril is an excellent villain. He's foul and nasty and rude. He argues about Ellie's right to compete in the Weigh-In because it's supposed to be for adults and she's only 16. Ellie stands strong through it all though, with the help of her new crush, Wes. Both she and Wes are so adorable and sweet, you can't help but hope that she will ultimately win the Pumpkin Weigh-In, especially with so many odds stacked against her... Did I mention there are pumpkin thieves, in addition to her being a teenager? Yep..
2015
December 21, 2007
This is such a funny, warm, delicious read. Growing the bestest and largest pumpkin is only part of the story, as our heroine also grows herself.
November 3, 2023
To quote Ellie "who knew agriculture could be so exciting!" and I'll add emotional with that last chapter or two 🥺🥺🥺😭😭😭 but oh what a good ending!!! 🥳🥳
July 25, 2024
IOWANS… we are just built different, what else can I say? RIP Ellie you would have loved wordle and agriculture YouTube. She has her priorities straight— first a world class pumpkin, second a cute guy from school, third ruining her enemy
I need a spin off about Richard
I need a spin off about Richard
May 17, 2016
I find that many of the books I read between the ages of 13 and 17 are basically crap, and primarily featured books that shouldn't have been published. Wretched, wretched. Still, I find myself rereading those books that I managed to hang onto from that time, hating most of them.
HOWEVER, this book is delightful! I loved it when I read it as a teenager, and found myself loving it again as I re-read it. The tone is light and playful, and the main character, Ellie Morgan, is utterly relatable. I love the gravitas with which she approaches both her love of growing as well as her project in growing Max.
I really liked the relationship between father and daughter, they really just didn't understand each other, yet felt like they weren't cared for by the other. It was a pleasure watching them come together.
I would recommend to any who read this as a teenager, any teenagers looking for a fun read, as well as any looking for a light, playful agricultural YA story.
HOWEVER, this book is delightful! I loved it when I read it as a teenager, and found myself loving it again as I re-read it. The tone is light and playful, and the main character, Ellie Morgan, is utterly relatable. I love the gravitas with which she approaches both her love of growing as well as her project in growing Max.
I really liked the relationship between father and daughter, they really just didn't understand each other, yet felt like they weren't cared for by the other. It was a pleasure watching them come together.
I would recommend to any who read this as a teenager, any teenagers looking for a fun read, as well as any looking for a light, playful agricultural YA story.
March 7, 2018
I picked up this book on a whim without really knowing what it was about.
It wasn't until I was like 10 pages into the book where I realized that this was about agriculture.
I really don't care about agriculture.
With that said, my rating might be kind of biased because of this prejudice against agriculture, but 3 stars is a pretty good rating if you take in account of my prejudice.
It was a sweet story, and the main character was a likeable character. Her family was supportive and you can read about a nicely progressing father-daughter relationship throughout the book. Ellie's relationship with Max was pretty awkward but nonetheless quite cute.
Predictable ending, but very fitting for the book.
I thought the beginning was kind of slow, but it got better once you got through the beginning. Nice story about the countryside, as many books these days are all set in city settings.
Pretty enjoyable read with pretty enjoyable characters.
It wasn't until I was like 10 pages into the book where I realized that this was about agriculture.
I really don't care about agriculture.
With that said, my rating might be kind of biased because of this prejudice against agriculture, but 3 stars is a pretty good rating if you take in account of my prejudice.
It was a sweet story, and the main character was a likeable character. Her family was supportive and you can read about a nicely progressing father-daughter relationship throughout the book. Ellie's relationship with Max was pretty awkward but nonetheless quite cute.
Predictable ending, but very fitting for the book.
I thought the beginning was kind of slow, but it got better once you got through the beginning. Nice story about the countryside, as many books these days are all set in city settings.
Pretty enjoyable read with pretty enjoyable characters.
December 6, 2012
AUTHOR PROJECT
Ellie, a teen grower of giant pumpkins, is determined to win first prize at this year’s fair, as well as lose ten pounds and catch the attention of a cute boy in school. Ellie is fun and easy to warm up to, the epitome of the self-conscious but spunky girl who isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty. This is a fantastic first novel for a writer, and while there are moments that seem to drag, every page contains something to laugh about. Bauer makes Ellie’s victory your victory. A wonderful read for women, especially, of all ages.
Ellie, a teen grower of giant pumpkins, is determined to win first prize at this year’s fair, as well as lose ten pounds and catch the attention of a cute boy in school. Ellie is fun and easy to warm up to, the epitome of the self-conscious but spunky girl who isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty. This is a fantastic first novel for a writer, and while there are moments that seem to drag, every page contains something to laugh about. Bauer makes Ellie’s victory your victory. A wonderful read for women, especially, of all ages.
dnf
September 19, 2020DNF at page 50.
So disappointed with this book. The writing style is so unenjoyable. Also, the main character is far too concerned about her weight. Not for me.
So disappointed with this book. The writing style is so unenjoyable. Also, the main character is far too concerned about her weight. Not for me.
January 19, 2018
Do you think agriculture is boring? Think again! The book Squashed, by Joan Bauer will change your mind. People of all ages can relate to this book. It is about sixteen year old, Ellie Morgan and the challenges she faces while growing her giant pumpkin, and dealing with the problems of a normal teenager.
Ellie Morgan is a determined girl. She faces many problems while growing her pumpkin. These include weather, pumpkin thieves, grades, her dad, weight, and boy problems. Through thick and thin she show that you should never give up on anything, no matter what life throws at you.
Ellie is sixteen years old and competing in the Rock River County Pumpkin weigh in. She is the only kid ever to compete in the contest. She is competing with Cyril Pool. He has won four years the contest four straight years. Ellie must find a way to defeat Cyril's pumpkin, Big Daddy.
A huge conflict in this book occurs between Ellie and her father. She feels he doesn't respect what she's done and thinks it's a waste of time. Ellie really wants to talk to her father about this, but isn't sure how to connect with him.
Ellie's grandmother has a huge impact on her. When Ellie is feels like she is going to lose the pumpkin contest, her grandmother reminds her of what is important. She reminds her that her family is more important than winning this contest. She explains to her how her entire family were farmers, and if her mom was still with her, she would be proud of her, whether she wins or not.
Ellie Morgan is a determined girl. She faces many problems while growing her pumpkin. These include weather, pumpkin thieves, grades, her dad, weight, and boy problems. Through thick and thin she show that you should never give up on anything, no matter what life throws at you.
Ellie is sixteen years old and competing in the Rock River County Pumpkin weigh in. She is the only kid ever to compete in the contest. She is competing with Cyril Pool. He has won four years the contest four straight years. Ellie must find a way to defeat Cyril's pumpkin, Big Daddy.
A huge conflict in this book occurs between Ellie and her father. She feels he doesn't respect what she's done and thinks it's a waste of time. Ellie really wants to talk to her father about this, but isn't sure how to connect with him.
Ellie's grandmother has a huge impact on her. When Ellie is feels like she is going to lose the pumpkin contest, her grandmother reminds her of what is important. She reminds her that her family is more important than winning this contest. She explains to her how her entire family were farmers, and if her mom was still with her, she would be proud of her, whether she wins or not.
September 3, 2017
I was passing through a pool house when I found this book. I read the back of it and fell in love with it instantly, and I bought it online an hour later.
This book is everything I thought it would be. Ellie is sixteen and just wants to grow a prize-winning pumpkin and beat her nemesis, Cyril Pool, whose pumpkins have won four years running. Ellie is full of snark and pumpkin-growing passion, and it made this book a lot of fun to read.
Normally I only give five stars to books that have a profound impact on me, but I don't care. This book is adorable. I need to read more by this author and maybe marry her.
This book is everything I thought it would be. Ellie is sixteen and just wants to grow a prize-winning pumpkin and beat her nemesis, Cyril Pool, whose pumpkins have won four years running. Ellie is full of snark and pumpkin-growing passion, and it made this book a lot of fun to read.
Normally I only give five stars to books that have a profound impact on me, but I don't care. This book is adorable. I need to read more by this author and maybe marry her.
March 22, 2019
First off, I was delighted that there is a book about a teenager growing a pumpkin because I was raised on a pumpkin patch. The love for farming was apparent throughout the book, and I loved the witty quips.
But in reality, I was really distressed about how the heroine's disordered eating was never addressed. It is a major problem, and the fact that it was simply part of the narrative and not something that she overcomes really turned me off from the book. Disordered eating is a common problem in many young women's lives, but I felt that normalizing it as a simple character trait was irresponsible. We should encourage our young women to think about something more exciting and profound than their weight. Like growing a blue ribbon winning pumpkin.
But in reality, I was really distressed about how the heroine's disordered eating was never addressed. It is a major problem, and the fact that it was simply part of the narrative and not something that she overcomes really turned me off from the book. Disordered eating is a common problem in many young women's lives, but I felt that normalizing it as a simple character trait was irresponsible. We should encourage our young women to think about something more exciting and profound than their weight. Like growing a blue ribbon winning pumpkin.
October 21, 2019
Cute, fast, and fun. I suggest reading it in October so that you can really enjoy the mood...
October 30, 2024
Read for Popsugar: A book with a fruit or vegetable in the title
Loved learning about giant pumpkins, didn't love the active pursuit of a boy who had a girlfriend? But it was fun :)
Loved learning about giant pumpkins, didn't love the active pursuit of a boy who had a girlfriend? But it was fun :)
November 27, 2017
Really enjoyed this book. Loved the characters and the storyline of growing large pumpkin for competition. Great read for kids and adults!!
November 28, 2020
Cute and touching. I chuckled out loud at one point.
February 7, 2017
Have you ever wanted something so bad that you would do anything to make it happen? In the novel Squashed, the author Joan Bauer introduces this theme. The main character, Ellie, had devoted everything she had into growing her large pumpkin to have it gain just an extra couple hundred pounds so that she can win first place in a pumpkin growing competition. This theme shows how devotion and taking your time will most likely lead to success.
Ellie Morgan is a sixteen-year old girl from Iowa who has a special relationship with her pumpkin who she named Max. She loves growing large pumpkins and entering them in her town’s Harvest Festivals. This story focuses on the contest that she enters hoping that all her hard work in keeping her pumpkin at its finest will pay off. Especially as she strives to win first place against her adult rival named Cyril Pool. In the midst of the pumpkin weigh-in competition, a bit of romance sparks between her and the new boy in town named Wes. Throughout this romance, her determination to win the festival, and caring for her large pumpkin, Ellie’s father worries about her social life, school, and her own weight problems.
Joan Bauer does a good job of making the reader anxious to find out whether or not Ellie’s competitive drive to win paid off. However, she could have made the story better by making the topic more interesting or relatable. Not many sixteen year old girls can say that they commit a lot of their time caring for giant pumpkins and enter them in contests. Joan Bauer could have improved the book a lot more if she thought about a more gripping topic.
In addition to this, I would not recommend this book because the subject matter wasn’t diverse enough. It centered around a pumpkin, and became monotonous. The one saving grace was that the author introduced another character that Ellie had a romantic interest with. That managed to add a little more life to the story however it was still very basic. If someone was looking for a story with more action or one that had more substance, this wouldn’t be the novel.
For the most part, the novel Squashed was definitely not my favorite book. Other people may or may not feel the same way. The theme which is introduced is a positive theme in that it supports the importance of devotion and dedication to pursuing whatever is important in a person’s life, and obtaining successes when working hard. However, people still experience failures even when trying their best.In exploring this theme, the author uses a very basic subject matter that becomes boring and repetative and not very varied with other story lines or plots. Therefore, the story, while having an applicable theme to everyday life, is a simple one.
Ellie Morgan is a sixteen-year old girl from Iowa who has a special relationship with her pumpkin who she named Max. She loves growing large pumpkins and entering them in her town’s Harvest Festivals. This story focuses on the contest that she enters hoping that all her hard work in keeping her pumpkin at its finest will pay off. Especially as she strives to win first place against her adult rival named Cyril Pool. In the midst of the pumpkin weigh-in competition, a bit of romance sparks between her and the new boy in town named Wes. Throughout this romance, her determination to win the festival, and caring for her large pumpkin, Ellie’s father worries about her social life, school, and her own weight problems.
Joan Bauer does a good job of making the reader anxious to find out whether or not Ellie’s competitive drive to win paid off. However, she could have made the story better by making the topic more interesting or relatable. Not many sixteen year old girls can say that they commit a lot of their time caring for giant pumpkins and enter them in contests. Joan Bauer could have improved the book a lot more if she thought about a more gripping topic.
In addition to this, I would not recommend this book because the subject matter wasn’t diverse enough. It centered around a pumpkin, and became monotonous. The one saving grace was that the author introduced another character that Ellie had a romantic interest with. That managed to add a little more life to the story however it was still very basic. If someone was looking for a story with more action or one that had more substance, this wouldn’t be the novel.
For the most part, the novel Squashed was definitely not my favorite book. Other people may or may not feel the same way. The theme which is introduced is a positive theme in that it supports the importance of devotion and dedication to pursuing whatever is important in a person’s life, and obtaining successes when working hard. However, people still experience failures even when trying their best.In exploring this theme, the author uses a very basic subject matter that becomes boring and repetative and not very varied with other story lines or plots. Therefore, the story, while having an applicable theme to everyday life, is a simple one.
May 29, 2012
Summary: The main character is Ellie Morgan, a sixteen-year-old Iowa girl who is a grower at heart. Her specialty is growing large pumpkins, the 600-pound variety. The plot of this novel revolves around the trials and heartbreak that come with growing a pumpkin and growing up. In the tradition of every good coming-of-age story, it takes laughter, tears, frustration, a ton of stress and a lot of love, but Ellie pulls through. She shows us that true winners are made from the inside out.
The best part of this novel is that it’s hard to leave behind. It’s one of those novels that, when you finish, you stare at the last page or the cover until someone comes along and ruins the mood. Joan Bauer has, once again, taken what sounds like a boring story and made it one of the deepest, most poignant pieces of literature ever written. (True literature speaks to the soul. This easily meets that burden.) One quote can’t do it justice, but here’s my best effort: “There was a gurgle. Then a shake. And like a bolt from heaven, like all the badness and rottenness that was inside Cyril and the way he’d treated every grower within two hundred miles just couldn’t be contained. It was like a hundred Fourth of Julys all rolled into one, better than the best fireworks that had ever shot into the sky, better than sitting with a champion squash in the moonlight holding the hand of the one you love.”
One thing the author could do to improve this novel is to use fewer pumpkin/growing/agriculture similes and metaphors. They don’t get in the way of enjoying the novel, but I don’t relate to activities that take place in the dirt very well.
Comparison: Like Hope Was Here and Rules of the Road, this book sounds pretty boring no matter how you describe it. Like both of those novels, it’s one of the best reading experiences you’ll ever have. I like that her main characters aren’t perfect-looking. Really, most people are just normal-looking and there’s beauty in that.
The best part of this novel is that it’s hard to leave behind. It’s one of those novels that, when you finish, you stare at the last page or the cover until someone comes along and ruins the mood. Joan Bauer has, once again, taken what sounds like a boring story and made it one of the deepest, most poignant pieces of literature ever written. (True literature speaks to the soul. This easily meets that burden.) One quote can’t do it justice, but here’s my best effort: “There was a gurgle. Then a shake. And like a bolt from heaven, like all the badness and rottenness that was inside Cyril and the way he’d treated every grower within two hundred miles just couldn’t be contained. It was like a hundred Fourth of Julys all rolled into one, better than the best fireworks that had ever shot into the sky, better than sitting with a champion squash in the moonlight holding the hand of the one you love.”
One thing the author could do to improve this novel is to use fewer pumpkin/growing/agriculture similes and metaphors. They don’t get in the way of enjoying the novel, but I don’t relate to activities that take place in the dirt very well.
Comparison: Like Hope Was Here and Rules of the Road, this book sounds pretty boring no matter how you describe it. Like both of those novels, it’s one of the best reading experiences you’ll ever have. I like that her main characters aren’t perfect-looking. Really, most people are just normal-looking and there’s beauty in that.
January 14, 2018
Pumpkin growers (and readers) rejoice- Squashed is here! Joan Bauer is at the top of my list of best writers of sad-happy heartbreaker books so I went back to read some of her earlier books. “Squashed” is her first novel and earned several notable awards, including a prize for an Outstanding First Young Adult Novel. I agree whole-heartedly with that high praise! The story of 16 year old Ellie struggling to find her niche in family, at her high school and as a blue ribbon winning pumpkin grower is filled with laughter, inspiration and a few tears. I did wonder if the almost over the top zeal exhibited by Ellie the pumpkin-grower bordered on satire of those with an agricultural bent, but maybe it is truth. Like all of Bauer’s books, the heroine is not perfect and not everything works out 100% perfectly in the end, but the lessons sprinkled throughout are encouraging without being preachy and hope’s theme flows from beginning to end. I highly recommend this one for readers grades 5 and up. Professional reviews place this one at junior high and up, likely due to Ellie’s age and her budding romance that does culminate in some mildly described kissing.
November 7, 2011
As I said in my status update when I started reading this book, I don't usually read YA fiction. I'm pleased my friend Kyla, who leads a YA book group, has marked it to-read. I highly recommend it.
This book is delicious. The writing is so good I tasted only a little bit at a time even though I wanted to scarf it down in one sitting. I didn't want it to be gone -- I was trying to make it last.
This is easily G or PG, I will let my daughter read it though she is half the heroine's age. There are some boy-girl issues but they are handled very tastefully. I'm more concerned about the sad descriptions of the main character Ellie grieving for her mother, which had me sobbing uncontrollably at times.
The writing is so bright I can't say enough about it! The humor is dry. And the story is one I've never explored. Ellie is on a quest to grow the biggest pumpkin in Iowa. A lot about this story will resonate with growers and farmers and anyone who has ever entered anything in an agricultural or county fair. This is a must-read!
This book is delicious. The writing is so good I tasted only a little bit at a time even though I wanted to scarf it down in one sitting. I didn't want it to be gone -- I was trying to make it last.
This is easily G or PG, I will let my daughter read it though she is half the heroine's age. There are some boy-girl issues but they are handled very tastefully. I'm more concerned about the sad descriptions of the main character Ellie grieving for her mother, which had me sobbing uncontrollably at times.
The writing is so bright I can't say enough about it! The humor is dry. And the story is one I've never explored. Ellie is on a quest to grow the biggest pumpkin in Iowa. A lot about this story will resonate with growers and farmers and anyone who has ever entered anything in an agricultural or county fair. This is a must-read!
December 18, 2017
I loved this book. Ellie Morgan is the kind of character you can relate too. A teenager who is slightly overweight, bu t is a great cook, but also grows giant pumpkins for completion. With a father who runs a motivational company (who has also not gotten over the death of his wife), he is constantly "motivating" her to loose and be healthier. He also thinks she should be doing other things than growing giant pumpkins. How Ellie deals with that, keeping a contast watch on the pumpkin, dealing with typical teen issues, high school, her eveil pumpkin growing rival and highschool boy's makes for a great read.
April 21, 2010
As with all of Bauer's work, there is always an element of heartache and pain for a teenage girl, but what sets each book apart is the adversity if fought and conquered in so many different ways-- with a montage of characters. With Ellie, she overcomes her mother's death and small-town life by competitively growing prize-winning pumpkins, which takes effort, but also perseverance even without a supportive father. It's humorous and imaginative.
December 22, 2007
Bauer's first book, but still one of my favorites of hers. Has some in common with DAIRY QUEEN, a book that came out last year, in the detailed descriptions of farm life, plus the warmth and humor. 4 1/2 stars.
March 3, 2010
Loved this book! Super fast read and very clever. I didn't realize I could become so attached to a pumpkin!
January 7, 2008
Big squash are hard to grow.
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