The Pumpkin Bell Challenge — Every evening, Wren tapped three acorns on the porch rail and practiced her challenge: build a pumpkin bell that could call the moon parade without using any store-bought parts. Read the full story →
Every evening, Wren tapped three acorns on the porch rail and practiced her challenge: build a pumpkin bell that could call the moon parade without using any store-bought parts. She scraped the pumpkin smooth with a spoon, braided a stem-rope from dry grass, and carved a grin wide enough for sound to roll through. The air smelled like cinnamon leaves and cold dirt. “One big bong,” she whispered, “and I’m done.”
Until one day, a gust came skittering over the roof and stuffed curly clouds across the moon. Because of that, the parade bats missed the first star turn. Because of that, Wren’s pumpkin bell rocked, thumped, and nearly swallowed her whiskers. She grabbed the stem-rope, paws prickling on the rough rind, and pulled hard. Instead of bong, it made a hollow whoooop! The bats swooped toward it at once.
Wren laughed so loudly the little stars seemed to jump. She had not made the bell she planned; she had made a wind-horn with her own paws. Look at the pumpkin’s big grin again — you can almost hear one big bong.
