''The Perfect Pumpkin Pie'' is a 2005 children's picture book by

Denys Cazet Denys Cazet is a French-American illustrator and writer of at least 25 children's picture books, including the Minnie and Moo series for beginning readers. Cazet was born in California and lives there with his family. He worked more than 25 ye ...

, creator of the

Minnie and Moo ''Minnie and Moo'' is a series of children's picture books by Denys Cazet. The series is about two cows that go on adventures. They are best friends and they live on a farm together. The series have been reviewed by major book reviewers such as ' ...

series.

Plot

Halloween Halloween or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve) is a celebration observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Saints' Day. It begins the observanc ...

, Mrs. Wilkerson bakes a perfect pie for her grouchy husband and reminds him that when they die, there will be no pie. After she said that, her husband yells that he isn't going then. Soon after, he falls dead into his

pumpkin pie Pumpkin pie is a dessert pie with a spiced, pumpkin-based custard filling. The pumpkin and pumpkin pie are both a symbol of harvest time, and pumpkin pie is generally eaten during the fall and early winter. In the United States and Canada it is u ...

. The widow buries him in the yard and moves away. Jack and his grandmother move in, and they bake a pie. The husband returns as a

ghost A ghost is the soul or spirit of a dead person or animal that is believed to be able to appear to the living. In ghostlore, descriptions of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to rea ...

to eat some pumpkin pie. He rejects the first, but he eats the third one and then goes underground. He comes back above the ground when he smells

apple pie An apple pie is a fruit pie in which the principal filling ingredient is apples. The earliest printed recipe is from England. Apple pie is often served with whipped cream, ice cream ("apple pie à la mode"), or cheddar cheese. It is generally ...

Reception

A ''

Publishers Weekly ''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of B ...

'' review says, "He rejects the first, but three's the charm, and the fellow goes back underground--until an apple pie scent wafts his way. Playful type and a mix of full-spread compositions and silhouette sequences keep a brisk pace. Youngsters will happily join in the ghost's refrain." A ''

Kirkus Reviews ''Kirkus Reviews'' (or ''Kirkus Media'') is an American book review magazine founded in 1933 by Virginia Kirkus (1893–1980). The magazine is headquartered in New York City. ''Kirkus Reviews'' confers the annual Kirkus Prize to authors of fic ...

'' review says, "No recipe, but still a mouthwatering crowd-pleaser, at Halloween or any other time." Gillian Engburg, of ''

Booklist ''Booklist'' is a publication of the American Library Association that provides critical reviews of books and audiovisual materials for all ages. ''Booklist''s primary audience consists of libraries, educators, and booksellers. The magazine is av ...

'', reviewed the book saying, "A few sensitive kids may find Wilkerson's abrupt death upsetting, but most will delight in this rollicking, sometimes gruesome Halloween story."''Booklist''; 10/15/2005, Vol. 102 Issue 4, p54, 2p

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Perfect Pumpkin Pie American picture books 2005 children's books Halloween children's books