Pumpkinheads and Signposts

I just read a great, great book today: Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks. I loved everything about it: the storyline, the characters, the setting. it completely transported me to fall, even though I was reading it by the pool in the middle of summer.

When I’m not reading excellent YA or middle grade books of all types, I have been catching up on some professional reading. I buy all of these great PD books, and then never read them. But not this summer! This summer, I have diligently read about 1 book per week or so, so I have crushed my PD library.

The PD book that I am the most excited about is Notice and Note: Strategies for Close Reading by Kylene Beers and Robert E. Probst. I have never sunk into a PD book like I did with this one. I actually looked forward to reading it every day and was savoring it so that I didn’t finish it too quickly. I loved their writing style and how easy it seemed to try out their ideas. (I actually did try out some of their ideas in my virtual summer book club with good results.)

So, as I bask in the afterglow of a reading such a good book in one sitting, I am thinking about the Notice and Note Signposts and how they appear in this book. (Mostly I just want to spend more time with this book.)

Brief summary before diving in: Josiah (Josie) and Deja are friends finishing up their last season working at a pumpkin patch. It’s their last day together, and they decide to try all the snacks and find the girl that Josie has had a crush on for four years.

Note: There are 6 Signposts and each has a question that the reader is supposed to think about after recognizing a signpost.

Contrasts and Contradictions: Despite being Most Valuable Pumpkin Patch Person (MVPPP) for five of the last six months, Josie breaks all sorts of rules to get to his crush, including skipping his last shift of work.

• Why would the character act this way? Last day to talk to his crush; if he doesn’t do it now, he will never get the chance to.

Aha Moment: When Josie, after finally talking to “the girl”, realizes what he really like about working at the pumpkin patch. (No spoilers here!)

• How might this change things? You’d have to read to find out. 🙂

Tough Questions: Deja asks Josie if they will see each other after the season.

• What does this question make me wonder about? Why don’t they hang out outside of work? Is Deja sad about it being their last day together too? What kind of friendship is this?

Words of the Wiser: Deja tells Josie that he is not going to miss out on talking to his crush today, because it is his last opportunity. “You’re going to take your shot.” (p. 11)

• What’s the life lesson and how might it affect the character? Josie definitely seems like a cautious person, so maybe he will learn to take more chances and put himself out there more, be more confident.

Again and Again: As they hunt for Josie’s crush, Deja and Josie kept getting sent to different places where she is supposedly working. Every time they go to a new location, they are told that she isn’t there. This happens again and again.

• Why might the authors bring this up again and again? To give the characters time together, to see all the sights one last time, to give the characters time to talk about their friendship

Memory Moment: The book opens with one! Josie is looking at the MVPPP wall (with lots of his pictures on it) and gazing sadly at his nametag, thinking about how much he likes work and all of his successes so far.

• Why might this memory be important? It tells us a lot about Josie without any words: he is sad, he likes his job, he is good at his job, he has been there for several years.

That was fun. I can’t wait to recommend this book to someone. Thanks for analyzing the book with me!