Giant Pumpkin Suite
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- $8.99
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- $8.99
Publisher Description
Twelve-year-old Rose Brutigan has grown seven inches in the last eight months. She’s always been different from her twin brother, Thomas, but now she towers over him in too many ways. The gap in their interests continues to widen as well. Musically talented Rose is focused on winning the upcoming Bach Cello Suites Competition, while happy-go-lucky Thomas has taken up the challenge of growing a giant pumpkin in the yard of their elderly neighbor, Mr. Pickering. But when a serious accident changes the course of the summer, Rose is forced to grow and change in ways she never could have imagined. Along the way there’s tap dancing and classic musicals, mail-order worms and neighborhood-sourced compost, fresh-squeezed lemonade, the Minnesota State Fair — and an eclectic cast of local characters that readers will fall in love with.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In a warmhearted debut novel, Hill shows what happens when a serious-minded girl is forced to reevaluate her priorities and reach out to others. Twelve-year-old Rose Brutigan might not feel comfortable about her appearance (she's grown seven inches since fall and towers over her twin brother, Thomas), but she's confident about her ability to be a disciplined student both at school and when playing cello. As Rose prepares for an upcoming cello competition, Thomas and a neighbor, Mr. Pickering, need her help with another project: growing a giant pumpkin from a special and valuable seed. In spite of herself, Rose becomes increasingly absorbed by the gardening project and finds new neighborhood friends along the way, including reticent Mrs. Kiyo and noisy "Calamity" Jane, a girl Rose's age. When a terrible accident renders Rose's left hand useless and her precious cello broken, it takes the support of her newfound friends to carry her through hard times and open her up to new interests. Offering distinctive characters, a relatable plot, and some useful gardening tips, Hill's story promotes connectivity in neighborhoods and communities. Ages 9 12.
