PINKY and REX and the perfect pumpkin by James Howe

This chapter book is about how Pinky’s cousin, Abby, and their grandparents come to visit to complete a family tradition. Every year Pinky’s grandparents take Pinky, Amanda, Abby, and Pinky’s cousin to a pumpkin patch to select a pumpkin. Although Rex has gone with Pinky and his family many years before, this year feels different for Rex. Rex felt left out when the children went pumpkin picking. After the pumpkin was picked and carved Rex overhears Abby saying that she did not want Rex to be in the ‘traditional picture’ this year because she is not part of the family. Consequently, Abby and Rex get into a fight. Later that day, Abby and Rex apologize to each other and their tradition of pumpkin picking remains a “family” event. I believe that the moral of this story is that no family is perfect and friends can be considered to be family. I believe it is important for educators teach their students about the diverse family structures in society. No family structure has the same traditions or structure thus, students should learn to respect differences.