If you’re looking to add a new fall tradition next year — consider growing a pumpkin!
The Pumpkin Seed is a new children’s book from Wisconsin author Brook Patricia and Wisconsin illustrator Maggie Carroll.
It’s the story of a curious girl named Sophie who tries growing a pumpkin seed to see what happens. It brings readers along the pumpkin-growing journey and shares the joy of trying something new.
“I always thought growing things was magic,” Patricia says. “One day, I found a seed on our sidewalk and decided to plant it… We got these huge, gorgeous pumpkins. So we started to love growing pumpkins and learning about the life cycle of a pumpkin with our daughter… it’s what inspired The Pumpkin Seed.”
Patricia spoke with Lake Effect’s Xcaret Nuñez about her new book and what she hopes young readers and their families take away from reading it together.
“Ideas are like growing a seed,” Patricia says. “You can gain knowledge, experience and confidence by trying something you’ve never done… When writing The Pumpkin Seed, I felt inspired by one of my favorite books, Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. When I first read Little Women, I realized that both reading and writing are transformative. It's a catalyst for changing our lives and connecting with others. So I hope The Pumpkin Seed encourages others to be curious about the world and to give something different a try.”
Listen to the full Lake Effect conversation to learn more about The Pumpkin Seed.
The book is out now through Orange Hat Publishing, based in Wauwatosa.
