Product Description

Cat, Duck and Squirrel live in an old white cabin, with a pumpkin patch in the garden. Every day Cat slices up some pumpkin, Squirrel stirs in some water and Duck tips in some salt to make the perfect pumpkin soup...Until the day Duck wants to do the stirring...This is a funny, rhythmical story about friendship and sharing, with fabulous animal characters, illustrated in glowing autumnal colours with a brilliant CD featuring music and sound effects!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #594739 in Books
• Published on: 2007-10-15
• Released on: 2007-10-15
• Format: Audiobook
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: 10.25" h x .12" w x 10.25" l, .48 pounds
• Binding: Audio CD

From Publishers Weekly
This enchanting story explores the ups and downs of close-knit camaraderie. Beginning with a peek through a window where Cat, Squirrel and Duck are making music together, Cooper (The Boy Who Wouldn't Go to Bed) invites youngsters into their cozy pumpkin-shaped home. There's a rhythm to their lives: each has his own instrument to play and his own duties when it comes to cooking their famous pumpkin soup ("the best you ever tasted"). But one day, Duck decides to be the stirrer instead of the salt pourer, and an all-out battle ensues. Here the warm golden glow that has permeated their dwelling turns an angry orange-red with paws, wings and "@#$!"s flying. After Duck waddles off in a huff, the remaining pair heads out to hunt for himAto no avail. In a charming time-lapse sequence, vignettes of Cat and Squirrel moping on the steps of their house form an arc along the side of a spread ("So they waited.../ All that long afternoon..."). Mimicking grade-schoolers everywhere, Cat and Squirrel next decide to carry on with the cooking, adopting a we'll-show-him attitude. Of course the soup is too salty and the repentant pals begin to imagine scary scenarios of where Duck might be. But Duck does return, to a warm welcomeAuntil he suggests a turn on Cat's bagpipes. Thanks to Cooper's uncanny ability to capture the dynamics of friendship, children will be able to laugh at this trio (and themselves) and recognize that true friendship can weather most any storm. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 2 Cooper serves up a well-rounded tale told with storyteller's cadences. Pudgy housemates Squirrel, Cat, and Duck team up for activities including quilt making and music concerts, until Duck wants to be Head Cook and stir the soup. The trio spats and Duck waddles off in a huff. As the remaining pair search pumpkin patch and dark forest for their pal, they rethink their position. Coziness returns when they find Duck back home and learn to share at least cooking roles. Readers will linger over each page, savoring the delicious illustrations. Rich autumn colors and enchanting details on large spreads and spot illustrations embellish characterizations and setting. Energetic language with fresh images keeps the story bouncing along. Some may be troubled by the lack of closure on Duck's whereabouts during his absence, but the final comic page makes for a satisfying ending. The grand finale, of course, is a recipe for pumpkin soup. Gay Lynn Van Vleck, Henrico County Library, Glen Allen, VA
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Cat, Squirrel, and Duck share both an old white cabin in the woods and clearly defined duties with regard to making pumpkin soup. Cat slices the pumpkin, Squirrel stirs in the water, and Duck adds just enough salt. One day Duck decides he wants to stir, creating such household consternation and so many hard feelings that he finally packs his wheelbarrow and waddles away. Cat and Squirrel try to carry on, but the soup isn't as good without their friend's touch. Finally Duck returns, and the three experiment with changing roles. The process is very messy, but all agree that the result tastes as good as ever. Cooper's richly colored illustrations, rendered in warm, autumnal hues, suggest a sense of security that will assure even the youngest listener that all will end well. Complete with a recipe for pumpkin soup, this should find a niche in holiday story hours and with young families looking for seasonal projects. Kay Weisman