Fall Writing Frenzy Contest!

Here's something new for me... My first blog post and writing contest entry! Thanks to Kaitlyn Sanchez and Lydia Lukidis for hosting the Fall Writing Frenzy, and to all the authors, illustrators, agents, and editors who donated prizes for the contest.

Wish me luck!

The image I chose to write about:

What happens to a Jack o’lantern after Halloween? This “House That Jack Built” style story introduces young readers to the decomposition process and the idea of how the end of one cycle can lead to the beginning of another.

This image reminded me of our family's post-Halloween routine of tossing our jack o' lanterns in the garden. After months of decomposing and being a feast for the squirrels, our kids are always delighted to see the pumpkin plants that sprout each spring right where they left their jack o' lantern.

The Pumpkin That Jack Carved

by Francie Dekker

This is the pumpkin that Jack carved. 

This is the soil

That welcomed the pumpkin that Jack carved. 

These are the insects

That lived in the soil

That welcomed the pumpkin that Jack carved. 

This is the rain

That fell on the insects 

That lived in the soil

That welcomed the pumpkin that Jack carved. 

This is the fungi 

that emerged after the rain

that fell on the insects 

that lived in the soil

that welcomed the pumpkin that Jack carved. 

These are the seeds

that were revealed by the fungi

that emerged after the rain

that fell on the insects 

that lived in the soil

that welcomed the pumpkin that Jack carved. 

These are the squirrels 

that dispersed the seeds

that were revealed by the fungi

that emerged after the rain

that fell on the insects 

that lived in the soil

that welcomed the pumpkin that Jack carved. 

These are the plants

that grew from the seeds

that were dispersed by squirrels

that were revealed by the mold

that joined the fungi

that emerged after the rain

that fell on the insects 

that lived in the soil

that welcomed the pumpkin that Jack carved. 

And these are the pumpkins that Jack grew.