Sometimes (okay…often…) I come across picture books that beg me to create an art project, and Mr. Pumpkin’s Tea Party by Erin Barker was one of them. Not only does it scream fall, Halloween, and cozy, but in our house we are fond of the Brave Writer style poetry tea time. The book was too good to pass up.
Mr. Pumpkin is dressed up in his finest and wants to sit back and enjoy a cuppa with only a bunch of his closest monster friends. The fact that a bunch of monsters are getting together to relax in the woods, and that even they need a break from the daily grind, definitely appeals to this girl, and probably all of you reading this too. Perhaps I should ask for an invite.
Barker’s illustrations are charming, and I found myself wanting to draw all of these characters, but I limited it to one, and that was Mr. Pumpkin himself.
The Sparklettes outdo me yet again…
This is one of those art projects where, try as I might, my version looks a little too…well, like I buttoned my suit coat up too tight.
So when I let my Sparklettes at it to try it out, they outdid me, adding happy expressions and their signature snaggle teeth.
And one of my favorite things about this project is that it’s perfect for all ages. Even my Kindergartner was able to create Mr. Pumpkin. And hers had a special surprise.
Little Sparklette said that Mr. Pumpkin wasn’t being careful, walked too fast, and the tea sloshed everywhere. Leave it to kids to add those kinds of details. I was also firmly berated by a five-year-old for not having buttonholes on Mr. Pumpkin’s shirt.
And here’s a Freebie with a drawing guide, just for you.
Of course I couldn’t let this opportunity go by to get Mr. Pumpkin’s Tea Party into your hands, so I’ve put together a downloadable PDF freebie, just for you. It takes you step-by-step and comes with a drawing guide for Mr. Pumpkin, as well as a few tea cup ideas.
Grab your copy right here, and if you do Mr. Pumpkin’s Tea Party with your kids or students and post about it, I would love you to tag me @soulsparklettes on IG so I can share in the fun!