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I picked up this book because I have enjoyed Bauer's previous books, and the cover design with a big pumpkin on it got my curiousity up. I wasn't disappointed. Ellie, the main character, is very lovable. She has faults, which she realizes, but also has good qualities, which she has more trouble realizing. Richard, her cousin, is a "partial baseball star," a sophomore who lives like he's a step away from the big leagues and relates everything back to baseball. Ellie's father is a motivational speaker, and has a winning line for everything. And then there's Wes, the new kid in town, who is a award-winning corn grower and immediately attracts Ellie's attention. So this cast of characters come together to try to convince Max, a giant pumpkin, that he can go all the way and win the annual pumpkin weigh-in. But unfortunately there's a competitor, Cyril Pool, who has won the past four years and has no intentions of handing the title over to a 16-year old. Adventures ensue, the characters grow along with the pumpkin, and the whole story is very relatable. I'd be surprised if you weren't cheering Ellie on as the competition draws nearer.