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The Pumpkin Runner by Marsha Diane Arnold Dial Books for Young Readers 1998 |
Jacket Copy Reviews Awards and Honors |
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Jacket Copy
“Nearly all the sheep ranchers in Blue Gum Valley rode horses or drove jeeps to check on their sheep. But Joshua Summerhayes liked to run…with Yellow Dog trailing behind him.”
For fifty years, fueled by the pumpkins from his special pumpkin patch, Joshua has been running to check on newborn lambs and rescue injured sheep. Folks say he’s getting too old to run around a ten-thousand-acre ranch, but Aunt Millie knows better. “As long as he’s got pumpkins to eat, he’ll keep running,” she says.
Then Joshua hears about the Koala-K, a race from Melbourne to Sydney. With Yellow Dog at his side and Aunt Millie cooking up his favorite pumpkin dishes, Joshua figures they can “see two cities and get in a little run as well.” People laugh when old Joshua shows up in his overalls and orange gumboots, calmly nibbling a slice of pumpkin. But before long, folks start to take notice…especially Damien Dodgerelle, who everyone sees is a shoo-in to win.
Inspired by a true story, Marsha Diane Arnold packs plenty of excitement and emotion into her tale of a humble hero whose sheer love of a good run makes him a winner. With Brad Sneed’s vibrant energetic illustrations, The Pumpkin Runner is a shoo-in to win readers from New York to Sydney.
Reviews
From Kirkus: “…Sneed’s drawings are done in a Midwestern vernacular style, with the undulating rhythm of Thomas Hart Benton. They place this legend of a long-distance, Down Under runner somewhere between a tall tale and a picture-perfect front-porch anecdote.”
From The Florida Times-Union: “…The Pumpkin Runner is as close to perfect as read-aloud books come. It’s got an interesting story, a happy surprise, enthralling oil-on-canvas illustrations and a good-for-the-soul lesson.”
From Publishers Weekly: “…Sneed’s cleverly skewed perspectives and Arnold’s engaging style make this book, like its star, an easy winner.”
Awards and Honors