Dr. Donna's Review

THEMES & OTHER THINGS

This film will appeal to children across the age range from three to eight. Very young children will enjoy the story and understand the basic message. Even older children will respond to the special appeal of Halloween and will enjoy the story’s timeless message and charming characters.

1. The film’s central theme is about being different and learning to appreciate the value of one’s uniqueness. Spookly is square in a world where everyone else is round. He is shy and somewhat ashamed of being so different. Eventually he learns that it is his unique quality and his resourcefulness that enables him to save the day! Spookly’s story is a metaphor for many kinds of differences including disabilities, ethnicity, language, gender, cultural traditions and so on.

2. A second important theme is about learning to accept one who is different from the norm. No one in the pumpkin patch has ever seen a square pumpkin before. They reject Spookly saying he can’t be a real pumpkin.

3. Another important theme is understanding how one’s actions can cause hurt feelings. Big Tom and Little Tom lead the others into teasing and embarrassing Spookly making him want to drop out of the Jack-A-Lympics competitions. When a huge storm erupts and puts everyone in danger, it is Spookly who comes to the rescue. The others acknowledge that he is the hero and they apologize for treating him so badly.

TALKING POINTS
The story of Spookly, The Square Pumpkin provides many opportunities to talk with children about being different and being unique. Spookly sums it up with a song: “If I were round then I would be more like them and less like me.” Learning to accept and take pleasure in being different, being unique and to accept and celebrate others who are different and unique is a topic that children need to think and talk about all during their growing years.

• Ask children to talk about Spookly. Why did the other pumpkins reject Spookly as soon as they saw him? How was he different from the other pumpkins? Although Spookly looked different, could you still tell that he was a pumpkin?
• Ask children to talk about Spookly’s personality. Encourage children to describe Spookly’s characteristics, e.g. that he was shy, that he felt”different,” that he felt ashamed when he couldn’t perform like the others. Encourage children to empathize with the feelings of one who is different.
• Ask children to talk about Big Tom and Little Tom. How did they treat Spookly? What kind of things did they say about Spookly? How did Spookly feel when he was teased and bullied?
• There were other characters in the story who tried to help Spookly. Who were they and how was their behavior different from the behavior of Big Tom and Little Tom?
• Ask children to recall how Spookly saved the round pumpkins during the big storm. Encourage them to see that it was his unique quality, e.g. that he was square instead of round that enabled him to save the others. Discuss the idea that the thing that makes one different from others can be the very thing that makes one “the most special one of all.”

ACTIVITY IDEAS

Have children draw pictures of their favorite characters from “Spookly the Square Pumpkin.”. Help them write the names of the characters on the pictures. Post the pictures where others can see them.

Draw a pumpkin patch and have children add drawings of different pumpkins.

Help children make up a new story about Spookly, Jack, Big Tom, Little Tom and the other characters from the pumpkin patch. Write the story and have children do the illustrations.

Take children to visit a pumpkin patch. Look for the most unusual shaped pumpkin in the patch. Carve the pumpkin, name it, then write a story together about the pumpkin that is different from all the others.

Talk with children about what they like best about Halloween. Encourage children to understand that there’s more to Halloween than Trick or Treat. Talk about how it feels to dress up in a costume and be someone different from your usual self for one special night.

BOOK SUGGESTIONS

These books are recommended to encourage you to read to and with children about the themes from the movie.

Am I really different? By Evelien van Dort and Greta Westerlink

Be Good to Eddie Lee. By Virginia Filling

Billy Back to Front. By Sam McCullen

Flop-Ear. By Guido Van Genecten

Stellaluna. By Janell Cannon