George E Richardson

The Mysterious Pumpkin Patch George E Richardson

The Mysterious Pumpkin Patch is about a farmer who invested his hard work into growing fine pumpkins, only to have the pumpkins turn out to be a "bad crop". The pumpkins are very different to what ordinary pumpkins should look like. "The farmer contemplates plowing them under because he is too embarrassed for anyone to see them. A crop like this could ruin his reputation as a pumpkin farmer. Meanwhile, some unexpected visitors stop by the pumpkin, patch and see the unusual pumpkins and they love them. They convince the disappointed farmer that all the children would love his unusual pumpkins "because they "were not ordinary, but different. And they did. This story teaches about respecting diversity - It teaches children that it's all right to be different. It teaches that each person has a special place and purpose in society and how a person looks has nothing to do with that person's ability to be successful in life. It teaches children that they do not have to act like everyone else to be accepted. It teaches children not to follow the crowd, but to stand out and chart their own separate course in life - It also teaches that a person's uniqueness, whatever it is, can sometimes be a rich reward. This story is positive and very touching. It shows that children can be a great source of encouragement even to adults.