Children get pleasure in picking and eating fruit and vegetables, especially when they grow their own. The first part of the book, based on actual, events describes how plants grow, through words, sketches and photographs. Seeds germinate on an allotment garden. The pumpkin shoots and leaves race each across the earth in order to get the most light from the sun for food energy and growth. The winners will be the pumpkin plants with the most pumpkins growing on them and/or the largest ones. The book relates the true story about one pumpkin which was different looking from all the others. Jack o'lantern pumpkins were being grown for Halloween, but this one was a figure of eight shape instead. It was the biggest, but no one wanted it as it was the wrong shape and size for a lantern. It ended up being dumped into a compost bin full of horse poo and straw and plant bits and pieces that again no one wanted, but in the bin were creatures that did want a good meal and shelter provided by one big pumpkin.